


The Most Important Things

by TaiHe



Category: GOT7
Genre: Choi Youngjae-centric, Crushes, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, OT7, Other, Slow Build, Threesome - M/M/M, everyone loves youngjae
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2018-10-10 02:32:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10427205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaiHe/pseuds/TaiHe
Summary: The most important thing in Choi Youngae’s life is his dog Coco.The most important thing in Park Jinyoung’s life is his class of twenty-two snot nose bundles of joys.The most important thing in Im Jaebum’s life is his producing career.All men uninterested in the dating world until, a leap of faith and a meddlesome couple gets involved. Leading into a long stream of blind dates, romantic movie scenes, and hearts skipping beats.





	1. The Roomba Dispute

The most important thing in Choi Youngae’s life is his dog Coco.  
The most important thing in Park Jinyoung’s life is his class of twenty-two snot nose bundles of joys.  
The most important thing in Im Jaebum’s life is his producing career.

All three men are happy in their respective lives. Choi Youngjae spends his days walking his puppy and playing the piano at the local restaurant during the weekdays. The music filled his shared apartment with his longtime friends Mark and Jackson. The relationship between the three reflect a nuclear family, nagging included.  
“Youngjae” Mark’s tone emanated a very cautious characteristic when he approached the younger at the dinner table. Youngjae was setting the table for three in preparation for the meal that is sitting on the stove. As per tradition every Saturday was dedicated to a sit down meal between the trio.

“Yes Markie?” he hummed in response. Youngjae was too lost in his own world to notice Marks tone.

“Have you thought about dating?”

It was a straight forward question. A simple one that plenty of people have gotten from their teens til there is a ring on their finger. It’s the same question that began this long and difficult relationship with his family that prompted him to move in with the Markson couple. It was not a good question for Youngjae.  
Flinching at Youngjae cold stillness and the sharp clatter of chopsticks against the plate; Mark understood that his question hit a sensitive spot. Youngjae recovered in the next moment to bless Mark with his bright smile though it was a little strained because of the bitter taste Youngjae had in his mouth.  
“Markie, I told you that I will meet the one when he decides to come to me. I am not going to search for someone”, this answer was a common one for Youngjae. He believes that his other half will enter his life as if he stepped out of a drama. Youngjae has never been out on a date. He didn’t want to bring anyone into his life that wasn't guaranteed to stick around. Cautious with his heart and focused on himself is the best understanding Mark has made on his friend life choices.

It was not like Mark wished to kick out his friend or even wanted to push Youngjae into a relationship. As a friend of Youngjae for many years, Mark understands him better than anyone. He knows the fragility of his heart but he wished for the younger to not cut himself off from an opportunity. The topic is not a new one among the three of them. Jackson has also posed this question to the younger and was met with the same response. Mark just wished for his friend to be happy.

“Jae, I understand that you want to focus on yourself, but meeting people and dating is not that big of a distraction. You are a lot older now and so will be your partner. You wont be dealing with childish behavior as if you were a teenager”

“I seriously doubt that age has any correlation with how two people act in a relationship. You and Jackson act like the most childish people even though you are in a relationship” Youngjae chuckled at the comment.

Mark bristled at the jab and huffed back “We do not!”

“You two fought over what to name the Roomba” Youngjae retorted as he went to get the side dishes from the fridge.

“Terminator is a mouthful”

“Rosie is an old ladies name!” Jackson threw back as he entered the house. He dropped his satchel and pecked Mark.

As if it was a month ago the argument was back in full swing. “I told you that Rosie is the name of the robot maid from the Jetsons. Its an American classic!”  
“Terminator is more of an American classic” Jackson rolled his eyes at the spunky older one. Coco came running in to see the chaos unfold.  
“Don’t tell the AMERICAN what an AMERICAN classic is” Mark was exasperated as he was when he was met from the same retort at 3 AM last month when the Roomba was first brought home.  
Groaning, Youngjae pushed past the pair to retrieve the hot pot. He was going to eat with or without his hyungs. The couple soon forgot their harsh words and followed the smell of the hot pot. They sat down all together and were in comfortable silence to quench their hunger to a bearable level. Jackson finally spoke up while placing some meat from the hotpot onto Mark’s rice.

“So what were you guys talking about before I came home” Jackson curiously posed.

Youngjae stuffed his face with a large clump of rice and kimchi in annoyance. Mark granted a small smile to Jackson as repayment for the meat and gave a bonus gift by responding to the question.  
“Youngjae’s dating life or lack of” Mark casually placed some pickled radish onto Jackson rice.

“Mark you sound like a nagging mother” Jackson chuckled at his boyfriend as him maternal qualities warmed Jackson heart.  
Swallowing the rest of the food in his mouth, Youngjae spoke up. “Thank you Jackson-hyung!”. Motioning with his chopsticks to the eldest. “some people don’t need to be pestering other about their love lives. I do not need to date to be happy. Hell, if was just me and Coco for the rest of my life I would be content.” Youngjae smiled down at the small, white fluff ball as she subtlety begged for food.

“But Youngjae, what is holding you back from trying dating”

“School, work, and I am still trying to get the piano teacher job- “Youngjae rambles on until Mark holds out a mixture of rice and meat In front of the youngest’s mouth.

“I understand that you want to focus on yourself-“Mark began carefully.

“But plenty of people handle their lives individually and date, you both are adults and can handle the balance. So besides that what is stopping you” Jackson spoke bluntly as he stole some of Mark’s veggies while Marks back was turned.

Youngjae stopped for a moment and took the food that Mark held out for him. Chewing slowly, he thought deeply about what Jackson posed to him. Why had he rejected he previous admirers. Why did he not download dating apps or go out to clubs. He spent his valentines days in and never had the longing in his heart that was obviously drawn on the Markson couple’s face when their respective partner is away for too long. He was curious to why he life felt full despite it containing only him, his two best friends, his cute puppy, and the piano. He hadn’t felt the day dream for someone to hold his hand or bring him flowers. He felt full and content. Was that wrong? Was he abnormal because he didn’t have a missing piece to his heart. Was he really okay alone.

Sensing the deep thought that consumed the younger, Mark placed a reassuring hand on the younger’s thigh. Youngjae looked up through his lashes at Mark and swallowed hard.  
“Its not that I don’t want to date, its because I don’t think I am ready” He spoke lowly.  
Jackson eyebrows quirked in curiosity. “Ready?”

“Its okay, dating can be scary”, Mark understood the youngers aversion completely now. The puzzle pieces clicked into place.  
“I am not able to take care of myself yet, I am not who I want to be yet.”  
The younger obviously had it affirmed in himself that he was incomplete. He was too childish, too clingy, and too fragile for a heart break. He wasn’t strong enough to protect himself from heart break. He could barely order take out without calling for Mark’s reassurance. He had a long way to go and he had barely made progress at 21 years of age. He hadn’t hit any of the coming of age mark as he traded them away for his good grades, singing and piano lessons, and part time jobs to support his family.

Mark nodded and gave a look towards Jackson. Jackson nodded and stopped eating from the pot and returned his focus on their youngest friend.  
“Its okay, Youngjae we don’t want to push you-“  
“I want to give it a try though” Youngjae spoke firmly not looking at either friend to preserve his courage. He wanted to try dating. He looked back on the past few years and saw what he gave up and what he got in return. A rejection from the only university whom he was reassured would accept him in a heart beat. A rejection from his parents whom reassured him that they would always support him. A rejection from countless jobs despite the manager telling him he did a great job. He wanted to try something new. He didn’t want to close himself off anymore. It had been three years of heart breaking news. He stayed inside of his comfort zone and only reached for what he thought was reasonable. Maybe it was time for him to be unreasonable and enjoy himself and company other than his two friends and fur child.

“Youngjae, we don’t want to force you to do anything. We were just curious. You don’t have to date if you are not comfortable.” Mark spoke quickly. He felt that he was pushing the younger too hard.  
“No, hyung” Youngjae spoke softly. “I think there isn’t anything wrong with trying. Maybe I need to be a little braver”

Coco was jumping at the left side of Youngjae yipping excitedly. Youngjae stood up to follow Coco to her dish. “Besides Hyung, I would make the cutest boyfriend ever”  
Mark and Jackson busted out laughing for a good solid minute. Youngjae loud laugh soon joining the mix of high pitched giggling and hyena chuckles. But then it dawned on Youngjae as he poured water into Coco’s dish. “Where would I even start though?” he posed the question to his hyungs. Completely lost on the ins and outs of the dating world. All he knew about dating was from dramas and horror stories of his co-workers.

“Dating App”, Jackson suggested.  
“Too many creeps for my little Jae” Mark responded quickly and in a motherly tone.  
“Clubbing isn’t a good idea either” Jackson added in.  
Mark smiled grew instantly. “How about a blind date.”  
Jackson smile could rival the intensity of his boyfriend. “That’s a great idea Markie”

Youngjae eyed his hyungs. He was unsure but he has always been cautious. He trusted those two completely even though the pair could go overboard.  
“Okay, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea” He smiled shyly at the older too. The idea of dating still seemed daunting but the images of his favorite dramas danced in his head. He heart fluttered at the idea of some handsome guy with flowers waiting for him.

“I know the perfect guy”, The couple said in unison. When the words left their mouths and they gave each other a look of confusion that morphed into a passionate fire of competition. Youngjae groaned. He knew that the competitive nature of the couple would make his leap of faith closer to a leap through a ring of fire verses a hop over a puddle.


	2. JB in LA LA Land

The most popular songs throughout history revolved around three things; falling in love, being in love, and falling out of love. Jaebum wrote about countless love stories in his songs. Inspired from movies, drama, and love lives of those around him. He found love a beautiful thing. He wrote about all different types of love in all types seasons. Fall love where jumped in piles of leaves and drinking cider. Winter love where couples kept warm and snuggled by the fire. Spring love of picnics and movie dates. Summer love where trips to the beach and long nights out on the town. Love was the focus of every human experience to the point of obsession. The subject of love was so integrated in human culture expressed in the arts. But Jaebum reframed from the romantic life style and only wrote about it in his songs.  


His dream was in his grasp. Long nights at the studio, skipped meals, and a landfill worth of scrapped songs have built him up for this moment. His music was going to be recognized and praised. He was working with a popular boy band named Got7 on their newest album. This was his first mainstream artist he was working with and he had to make this the best album not only for his own pride but for the hardworking group of boys that were working towards their dreams. 

His partner spun bored in his chair, balancing a pencil between his nose and pursed lips. 

“Jackson” The older man broke the silence.

“Yeah, JB” the younger brunette answered dropping the pencil that clattered to the hardwood floor only . 

“Nothing, it’s getting late and we haven’t written a single word in the past hour. Wanna go to dinner?” This perked the younger up. 

“Really?!” 

Regretting it already as the younger hopped onto JB back when he stood up. He resembled a puppy who heard his owner mention going on a walk.  
“Yeah, yeah. Now get off of me” pushing the younger off of his back so he could retrieve his bag and jacket. 

“I know the perfect place too” Jackson voice held a sly undertone that JB didn’t notice because he was too concerned with praying that the younger won’t eat him out of house and home again. 

“Okay, should I take the car?” 

“No it is in walking distance. My friend Youngjae works at this restaurant and it is really good.” The younger man babbled about the menu and his favorite dishes. 

“Is he a chef?” JB was curious. He had heard Jackson talk about Youngjae before. From what he has gathered is that Youngjae is living with Jackson and his boyfriend, Mark, and Jackson picks him up from work sometimes when it is late. It was obvious how fond Jackson is about the younger and will gush about him almost as much as he does about his boyfriend. 

“Are you curious about him hyung~” Jackson bumped his hip with his hyung. Smirking mischievously and already calculating a game plan. He was well aware of the fact that Youngjae would get cold feet if he went on a date with a complete stranger. He just needed to give the two a taste of one another. It would be love at first sight. 

After the conversation with Youngjae during dinner the other night, Jackson had devised a plan of attack. He was well aware of the fact that Youngjae would get cold feet if he went on a date with a complete stranger. It would be love at first. He has known JB for almost 5 years. JB was perfect match for the younger. Both are hardworking and love music and lame jokes. JB was responsible and had a stable music career job. JB was determined and focused. JB also loved cute things despite his stoic nature. Youngjae is literally the definition of a cute thing. Mark had no chance of finding someone better than JB. Jackson was very protective of Youngjae and he knows that JB will be good to his best friend. 

“I was just trying to make conversation” The older didn’t make eye contact with Jackson as they exited the large building. He refused to let the younger mess with him. 

“Well, Youngjae is literally the best person ever” Jackson gushed. 

“I asked if he was a chef or not Jackson. Not his ring size” Jaebum joked back towards his starry eyed friend. 

“Not yet” Jackson mumbled. He took his job as cupid seriously and had spent the last two days daydreaming about the double dates that await the boys in the future. 

“What was that?”

“I said that I forgot you haven’t met him yet, ummm well his job at the restaurant is a musician. He loves music a lot. He is constantly humming and singing in the apartment.” Jackson smiled at the thought of Youngjae’s voice filling up the house as he showers in the morning. Unaware of how Mark and Jackson stopping every time to enjoy the mini concert.  
JB nodded along as Jackson rambled about the younger love of music. JB listened intently but kept his face neutral to preserve his chic appearance. 

“Here we are hyung!” Jackson loud voice broke the focus of JB who smile broke through the chic mask he was trying to cover his excitement for meeting an important person in Jackson life and a fellow music lover. Being friends with Jackson is a difficult task for JB some days so he is curious to know who had the willpower besides Mark to live with the eccentric hyena.  
Jackson open double doors to a classy restaurant. The lights were low and mostly everything was candle lit. It resembles a perfect place for a romantic date. If Jackson wasn’t so starry eyed for Mark, JB would be suspicious of the venue choice by the younger. 

Jaebum looked around the place as Jackson was telling the waiter their seating preference. Following the brunet absent mindedly until he spotted a grand piano a couple tables away from the bar that Jackson and Jaebum make their way towards. The bar tender greeted Jackson in a friendly manner and retrieving a bottle of soju for the two shot glasses. Jaebum nodded and took a shot with Jackson after they clinked the glasses. Then he turned to the light growing brighter on the small round stage as a strawberry blond male made his way to the stage. He was dressed in an oversized white button down shirt and black slacks that clung a little tighter than what is considered business casual. Not that Jaebum was checking him out. 

The Musician held himself highly and sat with perfect posture at the piano taking a deep breath and began to play. The world around JB morphed into a film like scene. As if JB was Emma Stone in La La Land and was watching Ryen Goseling play for the first time. Jaebum was entranced by the way the man’s hands danced over the keys. He didn’t feel his heart flutter or breath hitch. The music instead wrapped around him and gave him a sense of comfort and warmth. The song was familiar but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Jaebum then turned his focus back to the empty shot glass in his hand to prevent himself from gawking at the Ryen Goseling character in his melodrama imagination. 

Smirking at his older friend, Jackson poured him another shot. Understanding that Jaebum was lost in another world for the time being he order two of his favorite dishes. Gloating to himself in his head as he saw his friend under the spell of Youngjae’s beautiful piano skills. “Just wait until you hear his voice, hyung” Jackson thought to himself as he released a silent snicker. This earned a wide eye glance that soon changed to a glare. The teasing had already begun. When the song came to an end Jaebum downed the nearly forgotten shot. Jackson slid his friend a few bills.

“And that is Choi Youngjae. Wanna make a request?” 

“What would he know?” 

“Why don’t you go ask him” Jackson wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Jackson is giving his hyung a push in the direction of the younger.

Looking back at his friend nervously he takes a small step towards the piano. The younger male is organizing his sheet music and taking a sip of water. Jaebum almost lost his composure watching the handsome blond swallow but took a deep breath to retrieve his chic and sexy vibes. He refused to make a fool of himself in front of the cute guy and most of all Jackson. Jackson holds thing over people until their graves and in the five years of friendship, Jackson already has enough over him. 

Clearing his throat as he dropped the money into the tip jar, Jaebum looked at the musician closer. The male had a soft frame. He was made up of soft lines and had full cheeks. His eyes were folded up into crescents as he delivered a blinding smile or maybe it was the stage light. 

“Do you have a request?” the voice was gentle and JB relaxed. 

“Do you know “Trauma” by Ars?” JB became obsessed with this song after Jackson brought him the demo claiming it was an obscure friend of his that he wanted to help out. The song trended for a while on SoundCloud and other underground websites for a while so it wasn’t too obscure. Jackson played this song nonstop at the studio so he assumed that at home was the same. 

“Quite well actually” The pianist smiled warmly at the other. 

“Okay… then” Jaebum scurried back to Jackson losing his courage as the alcohol still hadn’t kicked in.  
Jackson tried to stifle his groan. It was going to be a long night. 

“Hyung” Jackson placed a calm hand onto Jaebum’s thigh to console his friends embarrassment. Despite his friends “chic and sexy” aura, he is quiet shy. If Jackson was not so extroverted he would of never gotten JB out of his shell. JB has the tendency to watch over others and quietly help them along which gave way to the stoic nature. Jaebum is compiled of harsh lines and a soft heart. 

“Want another round or do you want to head home to Mark?” 

“Nah man, I am going to wait for little Mozart’s shift to be over.” Jackson jabbed his thumb in the direction of the little blond. “It’s only an hour til his shift is done”, Jackson and Mark never liked having Youngjae walk alone from work. It has happened on more occasions than Jackson prefers that the younger has been harassed by strangers. 

“I can wait with you man.” 

“Really” The response was surprised and ended with a soft smile. Jackson has never been one to enjoy alone time. The younger, unlike Jaebum, thrived off contact with others. Jackson would go out of his way to have a conversation with anyone whom had time to listen. Jaebum had nothing to do for the rest of the night nor tomorrow morning. This would be the last amount of free time he had before he was bombarded with the last stretch of the album he was working on. 

“Yeah, another bottle please” Jaebum told the waiter as he poured the last shot worth of the bottle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly did not like La La Land and only watched the first half but I feel like the piano scene was necessary because I live for clichés. Thank you for the support so far. I have plans for this to be a long fic and I already have a couple chapters written and ready to publish so I won't take too long. The next chapter is Jinyoung's introduction. Also I love the comments! They actually got me to publish this one today. 
> 
> <3 泰河


	3. Jinyoung's Morning Commute

Jinyoung’s life revolved around his students. Every moment of his life was dedicated to keeping these knee-high terrorist alive for the school day. His weekends consisted of lesson plans and cleaning house. His life was organized down to the minute in his planner and his life was scattered with post it notes and to-do lists. Jinyoung kept himself in check and the rest of the world followed through.   
Jinyoung loved his job. He loved to see the children excited to learn. He saw the blooming creativity and the lightbulb switch on. He was the beginning of the these children’s academic journey. He was cultivating doctor, lawyers, teacher, politicians, and those who will make a difference in the world. He was inspired by his kids to become a better person. Despite the meltdowns , snotty noses, and messy hands; Jinyoung woke up every morning excited. He put on his button down shirt and slacks. Picked up his arts and craft examples, his keys, and brief case. He was ready for the day and like clockwork his phone went off. It was his mother calling as she did every three days at 6:45 AM Jinyoung’s time. He would talk to her as he walked to the Subway where he would then meet up with his co-worker, Mark, and catch the 7:15 Subway to work and arrive at 7:35. 

“Good morning mother” 

“Ah Jinyoungie~” His mother cooed at him. He knew where this was going. 

“Yes mother?” He was guarded by his mother’s soon on slot of questions. 

“Do you remember the drama I was watching earlier this week, with the alien?” 

“Yes, the one with the actor you said looked familiar, did you find out what the other show you saw him in?”, Jinyoung posed to his mother. 

“ Even better” she chuckled, obviously amused by herself. 

“That is” Jinyoung rolled his eyes at his mother beating around the bush. 

“You! He looks like you. Give or take a couple years. Ah my dear son, you are going to age so well” 

“I though dad is who I will look like when I get older” Jinyoung scoffed at his mother. 

“You always forget to factor in my good looks” Jinyoung forgets some days where he inherited his sharp tongue. His mother passed down the sassy remarks and quick wit. 

“Yes, my apologies. Speaking of which how was my beautiful mothers brunch with the ladies yesterday. Did everyone keep their claws in for since it was brunch.“ 

“Yes we did have a nice time. The ladies of course send their love. They are wondering when you are going to come back home to visit.”

“My break is the same as their children. I might be staying though because they have a daycare progr-“  
There was a threating sigh that alerted Jinyoung that he should reconsider his decision. Smiling tightly he responded with a vague answer to prevent an argument before he arrived to work. “I will see when we get closer to the holiday Mom” his childish heart swelled at his mother admitting to him fondly “I miss you Jinyoungie” 

“I miss you too Mom.” 

“Now I am going to let you go for now but I hope that you have a good day at work honey. Maybe flirt with somebody cute.” His mother dropped the remark and left with a “I love you” and a dial tone before   
Jinyoung could protest. His mother just recently has been pushing for Jinyoung to start dating again. She has threatened blind dates and marriage services. Most of the threats were halfhearted but it was becoming obvious to Jinyoung that his mother is slightly concerned for her sons love life. While Jinyoung bantered back to the dead line he was met with the tall slim figure of Mark. 

“Did you tell your Mom I said Hi” Mark’s eyes sparked mischievously. The taller teacher obviously heard the tail end of the phone call. 

“No, I forgot” 

“Ooooo. Someone is in a grumpy mood.” 

“I’m not grumpy” Jinyoung grumbled as he pulled out his subway card to scan. 

“Your mother is still bugging you about dating?” The sentence was presented as a question but it was obvious to Jinyoung that it was Mark’s way of opening a way for Jinyoung to vent. 

“She has been on this bandwagon of marrying her son off ever since my stupid cousin got married.” Jinyoung groaned as he plopped down next to Mark on the near empty subway. 

“Is it wrong for a mother to want her son to find love” Mark said solemnly. 

Quirking an eyebrow Jinyoung looked at his older friend’s wistful face. “You sound like you are talking as if you were a mother” 

“You could say that” Mark stretched his long legs out. 

“I am intrigued, go on” Jinyoung was not letting this go. Being a friend and coworker with Mark for almost 5 years did not necessarily mean they knew everything about one another. 

“Well I have a younger friend that is almost out of college and has never dated before” Mark grabbed his brunet locks in exasperation. “He is cute as can be, adorable, smart, really funny, voice of an angel, hardworking and literally just a ball of sunshine.”

It was rare for Mark to gush over things. Jinyoung was use to tuning the gush fest out when it came to Mark’s dog but he held onto every word this time.   
“ahhhh~ Jackson has some competition now” Jinyoung smirked. “You seemed so starry eyed about this kid”

“No honestly, mine and Jackson’s roommate is the cutest thing ever” Mark chuckled as more passengers border. “He has never dated before because he was too focused on school” 

“Smart kid” 

“He is only a two year younger than us, he was my underclassmen in high school when I first studied abroad.” Mark rolled his eyes. 

“You talk as if he is your first born” 

“He might as well be. He has lived with me since he was 16, so yeah” Mark rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed. “I am really protective over him”

“Lord help his first girlfriend” Jinyoung muttered. 

“Boyfriend” Mark corrected absent mindedly. 

“What does this have to do with my mother again” Jinyoung wiggled his nose. He was picking up an alternative meaning to the casual introduction of the younger male. 

“Nothing” Mark answered a little too quickly. “ I was just saying that you two have similarities in your reasons for not dating. You both are working hard but you are missing out on a social interaction that I   
believe you both would benefit from, similar to how you mother thinks” Mark spoke with nothing but honesty. He believed that dating brings out emotions and social skills that will allow an individual to know themselves better. It teaches many life lessons such as compromise, standing your ground, and the balancing of rational and emotional thoughts. 

“I can see where you both are coming from, but I think that when I the times I will click with whomever I belong with. For now, life has me preoccupied with twenty-two snot nose brats”

Mark busted out laughing, breaking the silence of the subway cart. “For someone who loves kids, you have such a creative way of showing it. “

“They just tire me out” 

“Oh so I found someone for the position you are interested in” Mark eyes lit up after Jinyoung sparked it with his comment. 

“Someone is willing to stay afterschool with me for the chorus club” 

“Yeah, he is very experienced and plays piano for a living, he has free time and is obviously wanting to add to his resume. Plus like us, He does not have cash in surplus and this would really help him out paying for his vocal lessons” Mark reasoned. 

Helping with the Chorus Club is something Jinyoung needs desperately. Mark was going to help him out but he was too caught up with the dance team and Chorus would be spreading him too thin. Jinyoung was excited to meet someone whom the picky Mark Tuan praises so highly. Mark has always been reserved and giving out compliments are not something he does without any sense to it. Jinyoung has found Mark has always surrounded himself with great people after the shit show of friends he had back home in America. 

“Tell him we can have an interview after school today” 

“I will text him now or else he wont wake up” smirking as they make their way off the subway in the final leg of what is going to be a long school day Mark whipped out his phone and texted the mysterious vocal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and comments. I really appreciate it. 
> 
> <3 泰河


	4. Back to School Blues Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Youngjae meets the reincarnation of a prince and reflects before his interview. Also Markjae love.

Youngjae sits patiently for Mark's dance class to end. He played with his phone nervously scrolled through his Instagram feed pictures of puppies that wish they were cute as Coco. He used to joke with Mark that they should have Coco model and live off her earnings. This was quickly vetoed at the thought of Jackson becoming an overbearing manager. Coco also was not one for following directions either despite the desperate pleas of the owner for her to at least learn the sit command. Youngjae closed the app and stared at his background. Behind his colorful squares of the various apps was a picture of their little family. Youngjae sitting between the Markson couple and Coco blurry in his lap from wiggling so much. He couldn't image the picture any different. He can't foresee the invisible being next to him that would treat him as well as Jackson treats Mark. Someone else to pet Coco didn’t seem bad but someone to look at him the way Mark does as Jackson walks in after an exhausting day of work. It just didn’t match with his perfect world. 

Youngjae hoped this nagging would blow over after a couple of disappoint dates. Most of the time when friends offer to help out their single friend it is halfhearted. He didn’t expect Jackson and Mark to produce a individual who would be willing to sit with him at a stuffy restaurant. It’s not like Youngjae had people confess to him left and right like Mark did when they were in high school. He was sure that Jackson did too. Thinking of his high school years made him shudder. 

Everything has been going up for Youngjae. After the shit show of his teenage years things have improved. He is finishing up school, got a job he enjoys, and is now through Mark getting an offer of a job working with children doing something he loves. Music is finding itself back into his life. His true love. Does he really need anything else? 

The large amount of laughter and pounding of feet that challenged the upbeat boom box slowly faded down as the clock hit 4:30 PM. Mark gave his small speech to the students whom are only half listening waiting to run to the parents who are waiting around with Youngjae. Sadly, his parents are not there to pick him from his practice. He remembers being in elementary school and having his older siblings pick him up from vocal lessons. On the rare days, his parents would pick him up and take him out for a treat at the convince store by his childhood home. He had to be an adult and push down his heart that has currently checked itself in to his throat for the night. The door opens and a burst of children escape to the safety of behind their parents leg. Most begging for snack and other happily chattering about their day. Mark is last to leave. Sweaty, with a gym bag over his shoulder, Mark smiles down at the younger. 

“Ready to go, sunshine.” The nickname rolled off Mark’s tongue fondly. Youngjae's tight posture shifted to a more relaxed state. The nickname was common among the house hold that comforted the baby of the house. It was based on a long discussion of the Teletubbies show and the baby in the sun. The American TV show weirded Jackson out but the couple decided that the baby in the sun reminded them of Youngjae. The round cheeks and innocence’s of the child’s face apparently fit the younger’s image. But as all things with the Markson couple, this discussion was soon diverted to the debate of “Do good parents allow their child face in the sun?” to the metaphysical question of “Are parent suns for the baby sun?”. 

“Yeah I am” Youngjae heaved himself up from the uncomfortable bench that sits beside the Dance Room’s door. 

“So how has your day been?” Mark slung his arm around Youngjae’s shoulder to pull him closer. The kinship was something that Youngjae loves. He is one to enjoy the displays of affection no matter how small or how grand. He craves the constant reminder of him being loved and cared for. That’s a big reason of why he got Coco with Mark. Coco despite her bad habits was a source of comfort and affections. Coco may destroy the apartment and Youngjae’s favorite shoes but she always curled up close to Youngjae when they went to bed. 

“Mostly sleeping and taking care of Jackson” Youngjae groaned remembering the string of events that occurred last night with a scrunched up nose. 

“What happened, I was already asleep when Jackson came home” Mark quirked his eyebrow intrigued because he only received the drunk spark notes from a mumbling Jackson. 

“His co-worker and him got trashed waiting for me and-“ Youngjae got quieter and leaned closer to Mark. “and his co-worker was kinda weird” 

“JB?” Mark cocked his head confused. From his knowledge of the stoic producer getting trashed was not an activity he did often. Mark groaned inwardly at the thought of his boyfriend egging the innocent man on. 

“If he is the one with the black hair and piercing, then that’s JB”. Youngjae blushed a little at the knowledge of the strange man from the night before. Youngjae has never really enjoyed being around drunk people. Working at a restaurant with a bar made him realize that alcohol isn’t all that it is cracked up to be. 

“What did he do-“ Mark cut himself off as he realized he was in front of the teachers joint office. “We can talk about this later.” Mark smiled at the younger, he was dressed nicely and was obviously nervous. Mark saw his down casted eyes and made a small gesture of opening his arms. Youngjae waddled into his arms and nuzzled himself into Marks neck. Youngjae has always found comfort in Marks arms since the arms that cradled him since he was kicked out. Youngjae has cried, threw up, slept, and relaxed into those arms. Marks strong hold made Youngjae feel centered despite the world quickly spinning off track around him. 

Mark squeezes the younger affectionally and whispers into hair “not to worry” and “don’t be scared”. 

Youngjae closed his eyes and smiled at the comfort. He felt his heart swell. To ease his hyung he wrapped one leg around him. Getting the older to laugh was all he could do in return for the years of comfort. Also the shocked face of Mark is something the devious younger lived for. This shocked Mark for a moment but it left him into a fit of giggles that soon infected the previously gloomy dongsaeng. Mark pushed Youngjae's shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. 

This of course led to an chilling sound of someone clearing their throat in the door way to the teachers office room. With wide eyes and a burning face Youngjae deeply bowed at the man whereas Mark greeted the man with a teasing tone that Youngjae has also been victim to.   
“Jinyoungie!” 

Youngjae slowly came up from his bow and finally set his eyes on a handsome man. Youngjae's blush didn’t die down as he inspected the tall, dark haired, and well kept individual. Youngjae began to feel self conscious. His toes curled in his worn-down shoes as he looked over the teacher. The man’s hair was coal black but bouncy. “A crown would fit perfectly on his head”, Youngjae’s subconscious whispered. No wonder this man is so popular among the students. He looks like a prince from a fairy tale novel. Even a sweater vest looked fashionable on this guy!   
“Hello Mark” the reincarnated prince gestured at Youngjae’s older friend. “and...” 

Youngjae retracted his eyes from analyzing the teacher's figure and stared into those beautiful eyes. 

“Oh! Hi, I am Choi Youngjae, I am Mark’s roommate” 

“Ah, so you are the friend that is going to help out with the Chorus Club” 

Mark slung his arm around the two men. “Well I am going to let you two chat; Jae I will be grading for the next hour so text me.” Mark then ruffled Youngjae’s hair and then swiftly made his way through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh I am so happy everyone is liking this so far. Thank you for the kudos and comments. Tell me what you think so far. 
> 
> <3 泰河


	5. Eye Mole Obsession

To say that JB felt like shit this morning would be an understatement. Its not the “I feel like shit Freshmen Year of College” vibe but the “Is this really how I am spending my adult years” vibe. He slowly lift himself from his bed thanking his drunk trained self for leaving an aspirin and a bottle of water next to his bed. The only thing that Jaebum found out about getting drunk when your adult is, that you just get better at curing hangovers. 

He downs the water and aspirin in one go and takes himself to the bathroom. He avoids the mirror knowing that he would only be met with standing in front of it for about ten minutes analyzing his features that have been abused from the night before. The sad moment when you look in the mirror and ask “is this all I have amounted to” was not really something JB wanted to face at the moment so he prompted himself for a shower. 

As the hot water eased his sore muscles and the steady pulse of the shower head massaged his migraine. Since it was a Friday and the boy group was away at an award show, JB and Jackson had the day off. Another great thing is when you become an adult, your sober selves get better at picking days to drink.  
He hoped Jackson was in as much pain as him because the asshole was the one who started the bottle. Mark had once defined their friendship as a frat guy's romance. They both admired each other in a manly way and were work out buddies. Jackson was JB’s closest friend. They talked about all of their problems and were the broest of bros. But honestly Jackson can go fuck himself for right now. 

Speaking of the devil, he retrieved his phone after his shower. He couldn’t even see his own background because of the long stream of text from the younger. From what he could understand something happened to his “garden?”. Something about Cocopuffs? You could slowly see Jackson sober up as the messages go on finally ending with a “go fuck yourself” softened by a heart emoji.  
When the text alerts were cleared out the background of his phone was something he didn’t recognize. He knew it was his phone because of the case but this was not something he remembered changing. He sat the phone down to go make himself soup and another glass of water trying to figure out what the picture was and what chains of events led to it. All he could see in the picture was a dot and a eye that he didn’t particularly recognize. So focused on the mysterious picture he almost tripped over his cat. The pretty feline was winding herself between his legs to signal her desire to be fed. Without looking away from the phone he inspected the background as he walked the familiar path back to his bed. He then went to his photos and scrolled to the end. A bunch of black and blurry photos tailed his aesthetic photos (mostly the pictures involved him and Jackson looking wistfully places with a variety of filters). 

He scrolled up and noticed a video taken last night. It was a minute and thirty one seconds long. In the minute and thirty seconds Jaebum’s whole life shattered before him. It was a shaky camera angle obviously done by Jackson as you can hear him in the background laughing and speaking in slurred sentences. Jaebum’s face unconsciously grew into a smile as the camera landed onto a beautiful boy. The more Jaebum stared at the younger the more beautiful he got. 

His focus was soon broken as the camera panned down to a plastered JB whom arms encircled the flustered musician. He felt like he jumped in the Han river during the coldest winter night. The video display him nuzzling his face into the soft stomach of the panicking blond as he mumbled incoherently. The younger’s arms were up in a defensive positions and eyes pleading for assistance as the equally plastered Jackson filmed the “Prize Winning performance of JB making a fucking fool of himself”. Prompted by Jackson asking for clarity of the muttering older man, JB’s red face made an appearance to give his moving speech. It was slurred but Jaebum remembered the line as if he was an actor who mulled over the script for months. Whispering along with the scratchy recording the most embarrassing phrase that ever left his mouth returned to his now sober ears. “He is the most beautiful man I have ever met” grabbing Jackson’s arm he panned the camera shakily to the shocked eyes of the blond. “Do you see that eye mole. Fucking precious” and as a graceful exit of the scene JB fell off of the stool ending the video in the dramatic finally of his life and ending any ounce of self-respect he had for himself. It was over and now JB had to survive the after math. Unlike a college student, you can embarrass yourself while drunk and receive minor teasing and the occasional throw back. When you get plastered as an adult. That shit doesn’t die. His life is now a reflection of his liver now. Totally fucked. 

He could see it now. As his casket descends into the earth the video will play repeatedly instead of the promised melody of Celine Dion “My heart will go on”. But he couldn’t help himself from reliving the feeling of having the younger in his arms. Despite this guy being a total stranger, he fit perfect. JB has written enough cliché to know that he was being overzealous in his attraction.  
He smiled at the phone background. It was slowly coming back to him. He took a picture of the eye mole that even his sober self admits is adorable. He has decided a long time ago that it is the little features of people that steals his heart. May it be a eye mole, the pink nose of a kitten, someone’s eyes whiskers when they smile, loud laughter or even the shape of someone’s ears. To say the least Jaebum is easily impressed. He shifted through the other blurry photos and deleted them all except for the video and the eye mole. He knew that it was freaking creepy to keep it but the video was the only clear picture he has of the cute younger. Jaebum is a sucker for cute things and enjoys storing them away to cheer him up. 

Now that Jaebum was ready for his day he picked up his bag and made his way to his favorite park. He likes to sit there are get inspired. The work day doesn’t end for artist. A day off just means he isn’t in the recording studio or his shared office.Jaebum’s goal was to fill out a page in his notebook of different lyrics. They didn’t have to be coherent but it had to be something. Though he was being particularly inspired by his real life edition of La La Land and the embarrassing ending. Jaebum has never really dated anyone besides one guy. The dating scene in Korea is not really forgiving and JB’s grown out of his one night stand phase. He had enough drama and wanted only to simply work on his career. 

He took a short bus ride to a park near his work. It has a small food stand outside of the park that has delicious steamed buns that Jacksons showed him. Since it was a cloudy day with a bit of a breeze. The park was empty besides elderly couples. Even though Jaebum has an aversion to romance since a bad breakup he couldn’t deny the swelling in his heart at the sight of elderly couples.  
He did believe in love. Its what kept his parents together while raising him. He felt it for little Nora. He saw it in his friend Jackson eyes when Mark called about bring them lunch or the look that the artist get when they sing through the song for the first time. Hell, he even wrote songs about it. He has been loved and loves in return. But sometimes it isn’t enough. Romantic love is different. Two people syncing up completely for a long duration of time is beyond Jaebum’s understanding. He rather have an innocent crush on the cute musician in silence than risk a romance.  
JB found having a crush the best thing about romance. It can develop or be instant. It is innocent and non-threating. Similar to how little girls have crushes on idols, JB adored the blond male. 

Especially after the drunken incident of his eye mole obsession. JB was going to just continue his life in admiration of the younger, maybe write a song or two.  
When he reached the bun stand he ordered two and different kinds. He couldn’t decide between pork or chicken. This is why he has a well-paying job, so he never has to decide between food.  
He tipped the old lady at the stand and held a light conversation. She asked him why he was so late in the day compared to his usually scheduled visits. He comes to the park often and has known the lady for a while but not to the extreme Jackson does. It is amazing how well document his work partner has every detail of so many people’s lives memorized. Continuing on to his favorite part of the park enjoying the weather and food after the hell of a hangover he felt this morning. As if his body was being cleansed of the past mistakes. His thought will often float to how his arms were wrapped around the cute blonde’s waist. 

Jaebum finally arrives to his favorite spot. It was a low hill that is by the river. It was close enough to the water he could feel the cool breeze from it. But it also offered shade from the sparse trees. Most of them were cherry blossoms which haven’t bloomed yet. The place looked like an ancient painting. It was by a small bridge and was not too far from the pathway. He could still people watch. Especially those on the bridge. The bridge was a big source of inspiration to him. He saw a variety of stages of relationships on that bridge. Confessions, proposal, break ups. JB has seen and written it all.  
Since JB has wrote so much about love. It has become boring at some points. What more is there to love besides falling, being, and breaking. It’s nice but it is the same for everyone. Even Jackson’s relationship seems to mirror everyone else’s in some way or another. 

That’s part of the reason why he came to watch the bridge. He hoped that it would show him a different type of love. But today the bridge gifted him with another sight. 

A young blond man in an oversized sweater and joggers was being pulled by a white fluff ball. He walked the dog while eating a similar steamed bun to Jaebum. When he reached the peak of the bridge he lifted the squirming animal to his chest. The dog left out a piercing bark which made JB’s eye twitch because of the soft silence being broken. It seemed like the younger was trying to take a selca with the puppy but it seemed to be to no avail because the white fluff was not cooperating. JB couldn’t help but smile at the effort of the younger. Since it was cloudy the blond hair was akin to the soft sun and everything about the younger seemed soft. JB liked this about the boy. His favorite things are soft and cute. Kittens, sweater, tons of pillows, and this blond man whom played his way into his life fit JB’s favorite list. 

So JB sat and watched the younger give up and return the white fluff ball to the ground who wrapped itself around the younger’s legs. JB didn’t feel creepy at this moment as he watched the younger one’s behavior from afar. He doodled as he observed the man on the bridge to give his hands something to do. He watched as the younger received a call. His facial expressions changed with every sentence and as if a wash of feeling hit him with every word. The expressive nature of his face became another thing that JB liked about him. In the end the call ended with a cheery smile that JB could feel the warmth from all the way at ground level. 

Crushes are his favorite type of love and so far, this musician is his favorite crush he has ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor JB! Now we know why Youngjae thought he was weird. I am really surprised so many people have liked this so far. Thank you for the comments and kudos. Sorry this chapter took so long. Please keep commenting. I read them to motivate me to post because I get too shy. The next chapter will be out soon and we can finish Youngjae and Jinyoung's meeting. 
> 
> <3 泰河


	6. Back to School Blues Part 2

Youngjae watched after his hyung feeling as if all warmth was taken from his body. Mark has been Youngjae’s security blanket since he was left out in the cold when he was sixteen. Youngjae looked up at the Teacher Prince through his eyelashes submissively. Jinyoung thought he was going to have a stroke from how his heart stuttered. 

Clearing his throat Jinyoung gestured to the hall on his right. “Let me show you to the music room and we can discuss your experiences.” 

Youngjae nods and follows after him. The halls resembled his old elementary school. Decorated with an arrangement of colorful cut outs. Youngjae caught up to Jinyoung’s long strides. He knew the layout   
quiet well because of helping Mark out last year with the School Festival when one of his coworker was sick. They desperately need an extra hand and Youngjae desperately wanted to not have to deal with a stressed Mark. He didn’t notice it until Jinyoung broke the silence. 

“Did you go to school here? You know the layout as well as I do.”, Jinyoung felt as if the young blond was directing him instead of following. 

“Ah” Youngjae rubbed the back of his neck as a light blush dusted his cheeks. “No I just remember the room because I set the room up for the school festival last year.”

“Oh where did you go to school?” Jinyoung was going to take the casual conversation and learn the most he can about the younger. Schooling is the best way to measure of an individual. Mark doesn’t praise people unless they are the best of the best. That doesn’t mean that they are at the standard Jinyoung wants to expose to his children. 

“I grew up in the country side until I moved here for high school. That’s where I met Mark when he was on his study abroad program.” Youngjae smiled fondly thinking of the string bean walking into his class on the first day. Both of them new and both of them frustrated by the language barrier. The two bonded over the silence of one another's company and Youngjae's extreme need for an English tutor. 

“What part of the country side?” Jinyoung ears perked up at the mention of the countryside. He also grew up in a rural area but moved to Seoul when he got scouted by an entertainment company. 

“Mokpo” Youngjae smiled up at Jinyoung. Jinyoung had to calm down his excitement. It’s rare for him to meet someone from the country side his age. He missed the easy-going company and the ability to talk freely instead of being restrained by the fear of sounding weird to his peers. 

“I am from Jinhae”, Youngjae’s eyes lit up at the shy confession. 

“Oh, my goodness! Jinhae is so pretty. Do you miss it?”, Youngjae inquired. Knowing himself, he would kill to go back home. He only went back once after he moved in with Mark and it wasn’t as welcoming as he remembered. 

“I go back often for holidays to see my family.” Jinyoung admitted opening the door to the Music room. He walked on auto pilot to the teacher’s desk and pulled out something from the file cabinet. 

“Can you take a seat at the piano. I want to do some sight-reading.” Jinyoung said in a professional tone. 

Youngjae quickly made his way to the piano. Ghosting over the keys to feel the stretch of the foreign instrument. 

“Do you need to warm up?” 

“Just some scales, I need to get use to the little kinks this poor thing has gone through.” Youngjae chuckles to himself as he remembered the abuse his piano he grew up with went through. From the harsh banging of toddler hands to frustrated slamming of a teenager who couldn’t get his right hand up to speed. He played his scale cycle as easy if it was more ingrained in him than breathing. He focused on the pressure and the sounds it produced. He noted where the notes came out clearly and those that came out a little fuzzy. After he finished his diagnostic of the piano he made his way around to the lid to see what is creating the fuzzy sound on the left side keys. 

“Is something the matter with the piano” Jinyoung’s professional composure was lost. The school despite being focused on the arts did not have the budget to buy a new piano. Especially with this piano being only a year or two old. 

An eruption of loud laughter filled the acoustic room. If Jinyoung could describe Youngjae in the short time they have been together, it would be music in human form. Every sound that Jinyoung has heard from the strawberry blond has made him question if an orchestra lives inside his soft figure. Jinyoung scrambled over to piano to peer inside the inside of the piano to only be greeted with a small plushie of   
Pororo stared up at him with its beady eyes. 

“Why am I not surprised.” Jinyoung mumbled to himself. 

“So, this is the essence of working with children Markie talks about.” Youngjae giggles as he picks up the plushie and places him on the top of the piano. He then takes the sheet music from Jinyoung whom was still glaring at the stuffed cartoon character. 

“For as much as kids complain about all the rules we have, they are the ones who write them.” Jinyoung sighed as he made his way to the desk. He perched himself on the table top and watched Youngjae analyze the piece. The look on Youngjae face is what he strived for as a teacher. To see an individual’s brain working and understanding a complicated topic is extremely attractive to the Teacher. Not that he was checking out the younger male or anything. That would be inappropriate. 

“Would you like me to start?” Youngjae cocked his head to find out what his evaluator’s attention was caught by. Jinyoung nodded as he tried to contain his calm and collect image after almost outing himself of being a creeper. 

The sounds that came from the piano have never been heard of by Jinyoung. Each note was proud and strong and it wrapped around Jinyoung being. The song was hopeful and rose and fell smoothly. Despite it getting quieter the sound never wavered. The music despite being written before their time seemed to belong to Youngjae. As if each mark on the five lines were placed with care by the blond. This is why music is considered an art. The piano was a tool and Youngjae was the artist. No note was out of place. Jinyoung was well acquainted with this piece but even though this piece has been played nonstop for the past month while Jinyoung prepared to present it to his students, it sounded like he was hearing something completely new. Youngjae owned this piece and thoroughly impressed Jinyoung.   
When his eyes finally moved on to sneak a peek at the enthralled Musician. The honey tan skin clashed cleanly with the strawberry blond. The pinkish tone of his hair matched his pink toned blush. His eyes were turned up into crescents and his cheeks puffing from an expressive smile. If the younger’s playing couldn’t paint out his feelings, then his face could surely do the job. 

The smile on the youngers face finally won Jinyoung over. Despite being a phenomenal musician, the love of music was the most important thing for this position. To teach children you need to love the subject and the process. Watching Youngjae in the process was something that lit a fire in Jinyoung’s eyes. They are going to make beautiful music together.   
When the piece ended, Youngjae took a deep breath and looked over to Jinyoung whom had to mask his devious grin. Youngjae then wrung his hands concerned over the silence from his evaluator. 

“You’ve played this piece before.” Jinyoung stated. Despite the piece being amazing, Jinyoung has enough experience in sight reading department to know that it was stable and nothing was unsure.   
The pink blush returned to the blondes face and he gave a nervous smile. “I am sorry, I didn’t know until I was halfway through. I forgot that it was one that I have played at work before. I am sorry I didn’t tell you but I didn’t notice until I was already playing” Youngjae mumbled at some parts and curled into himself. This was different from his playing positions where his posture was bold and unapologetic as his music. It was as if the confidence fled his body when the last note faded out. 

“No, no, no. Don’t worry. I am not upset. I am actually glad because I was able to see the effort you put in your pieces. You do not just play what is written, you play what the notes dictate and I really enjoyed it. I am honestly thoroughly impressed” Jinyoung hopped off the desk and made his way over to the musician and sits himself on the other side of the piano chair. He bumped elbows with the cute blond. “Also, this is a common piece and I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who enjoys it” 

Youngjae did not get his confident posture back but his face morphed into a smile that reached every feature. His eyes scrunched up into crescents, his cheeks became fuller and his little nose scrunched a little. 

“Thank you, Mr. Park”

“Call me Jinyoung”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you enjoying this so far. Ahh so much pinning and cute crushes. I hope you guys are not finding it boring. The crushing part of stories are my favorite. So far the Cupid Score is Mark-1 Jackson-0. Thank you for the comments and kudos. I love hearing from you all. Its amazing to me that so many people are enjoying the story. 
> 
> <3 泰河


	7. Burning Cheeks

To say that Mark was ecstatic that Jinyoung’s eyes were wandering after the youngest of the trio would be an understatement. After the high praise and a burning ear Youngjae returned with Jinyoung to Mark’s desk; Mark couldn’t contain his grin. Jackson didn’t stand a chance. Which obviously prompted the Oldest to push for dinner together. As a reward to Youngjae’s success and future success of the Chorus Club. A great guise for Mark to facilitate more interactions between the future couple. Mark was proud of himself and wanted to reveal in the victory. This dinner was honestly a victory lap before he gloated to his cheeky boyfriend. They decided a barbeque place would be casual enough along with quieting Jinyoung’s grievances about how he is never treated out to meat. 

Youngjae as the good maknae of the group was cooking the meat and chatting away with Mark about Coco’s antics from this morning. Apparently, a half drunk Jackson was woken up to his plants being eaten by the little white monster. Which Youngjae had to console the big buff baby as he sobbed dramatically into his shoulder. Youngjae’s Coco impression left Mark’s cheeks sore. The way he can mimic voices is a talent that was a weakness to Mark and it seemed like Jinyoung couldn’t handle the cuteness either. This left the group of men in a fit of giggles. Youngjae began to put pieces of the meat onto the different plates starting with Mark and then Jinyoung. 

“So Youngjae what are you studying in school” Jinyoung spoke eloquently. The Prince title wasn’t just for his proper and clean looks. He played the part in his actions too. Jinyoung wasn’t just any old pretty face. 

Mark knew that Jinyoung would not just be a great advisor for the younger but also the closet he could ever get to a male lead from those Kdrama’s that the younger is obsessed with. Jinyoung did not only look extremely proper and behaved as if he was heir to a rich company but wanted a humble start; he was second lead material and those are the ones Youngjae falls for immediately. If you ever ask him about “Boys over Flowers” get ready for a rant about how Ji Hoo was robbed. Jackson got a power point and a flowchart last time. 

Also, the two will be working together very closely now. The sparking of an office romance was going to bloom and from those pretty flowers Mark is going to make into bouquet for his loser boyfriend. Jackson didn’t stand a chance against Mark’s full proof plan. As Jinyoung was Mark's Trojan Horse he was also the perfect match for Youngjae. He was responsible and an educator. He works with children all day so he is obviously very patient which is great for Youngjae’s childish spells. He has a stable job and a good work environment. He clean cut and dependable. He matched the younger and would be balanced by Youngjae’s fun nature and laid back self. 

“I am studying to become a musical therapist. I pay for school myself though so it is going to take a while.” Youngjae said sheepishly. He is behind his peers because of the time he had to take off to save up for the classes. Youngjae cares about education and loves to learn but he can push himself too hard sometime and burn out. His parents are not helping along with books and tuition money are sadly not something Jackson and Mark have the luxury of being able to gift the younger. It was something that Mark and Jackson constantly talked about and tried to find ways to help. 

“That’s really amazing. I did my Master’s thesis on how music effects children and their education. I find that career path fascinating.”, Jinyoung eye whiskers began to show towards the younger. Jinyoung gave the younger a genuine smile. Jinyoung was beyond polite conversation and was into genuine interest of the younger. 

Mark had hit the jackpot. 

“OH” Youngjae’s cheeks dusted pink at the praise. “If I have any questions, I will definitely ask you Jinyoung hyung” 

Mark almost squealed in joy but concealed it by swallowing it down with a glass of water. The formalities that Jinyoung treasured have been dropped. He knew that there was no way the younger would of dropped them without being told so. Things were progressing fast. 

They continued to chat about things that Youngjae was recently studying and traded interesting facts. Mark just ate away and interjected every once in a while. Youngjae was getting excited as time went on and almost touched the grill which was still hot. It was all in slow motion until Jinyoung’s own hand grabbed the youngest. Mark sat up in a panic and turned off the grill’s flame. 

“Are you alright?” Jinyoung’s usual composed and calm voice was panicked. He inspected the youngers hand for burns. But the only thing that was burning was Youngjae’s cheeks and ears. Having the reincarnated price figure fawn over his hand concerned for him left Youngjae in a daze. 

“高福帅“ (Tall , lucky, handsome) is the way every Chinese mother’s standard for her son in law. Jinyoung hit all the check marks and went beyond the standards. Mark began to day dream about the look on his partner’s face when he meets defeat. Although Mark doesn’t like to see his boyfriend sad, this was different. The competition was fierce and the game was on.  
Also this was Youngjae’s happiness that they are working towards. Mark too that extremely seriously. Mark had seen the sunshine die out leaving the days cold after Youngjae’s life spiraled out of his and Mark’s control. It has been a slow process of building him back to the point he is now. If Mark could define Youngjae’s mental state as a season it would be Spring. Warm but a light sweater was necessary. Mark being a California boy was ready for Summer Fun and if he has to fight tooth and nail for it. He was prepared to. 

Youngjae then excused himself to the restroom needing to escape the attention on him. Declining Jinyoung’s offer to accompany him and to tend to the nonexistent wound. He spoke a little too harsh then he would have liked. But he needed space and to calm his heart that was stuttering to the point the younger was concerned for his health. He felt as if he was going to explode from the heat in his face and the pounding of his heart. 

This wasn’t the cold sweat of panic he felt before preforming a piece. This was a burning hot fear and he didn’t know how to handle it. 

He loved to have attention given to him. Not in the “bratty all eyes on me” type of attention but the soft touches and concern. The Markson couple have always been ones to shower him with forehead kisses, back hugs, and snuggle piles. But this attention was different. It was foreign and new. It was as if he was no longer in a hot pan but the direct flame. But he didn’t hate the feeling. It just was uncomfortable. But many things in life are uncomfortable, Youngjae just prefers to be comfortable. That was the feeling he got from the Markson’s couples affection. The care and concern from a stranger just made him a little self-conscious. As if he was visibly injured and just he couldn’t see it. The Markson couple was aware of his scars and fears. Being treated close to the gentleness of his hyungs made him worried that it was obvious to everyone else how broken he was. Mark wouldn’t introduce him to anyone that had ill intentions for the younger or gossip to anyone about the younger. Not that he was saying that the guy would jump his bones or knew his life story. He just had trust issues. Being kicked out by your family at a young age does that to you. 

Sighing into the mirror he closed his eyes as he washed his hands. Trying to clear his mind and just focus on the hypnotizing sound of the water. The public restroom door swung open revealing Jinyoung in his equally as shy but still stunningly handsome glory. Every emotion that Youngjae has seen on the older face was picture perfect and somewhat daunting. 

“I am sorry if I was too invasive of your personal space earlier. I can be overbearing sometimes. I had no intention of making you uncomfortable” Jinyoung was straight to the point and Youngjae could hear how guilty the older felt. 

“No no no, I am just shy sometimes. You meant no harm so it isn’t that big of a deal.” Youngjaes hands comically waved. He didn’t want the Teacher Prince concerned with his mixed-up emotions. 

“Well you felt uncomfortable and that’s not what my intention to make you feel that way at all. I am just really excited to work with you and get closer that I was getting ahead of myself. I was being selfish and not considering your feelings.” It was Jinyoung’s turn to get shy. 

This made Youngjae’s heart flutter. It is not often that someone is as excited as you are to become friends. Youngjae has never been sought out by others or have someone excited to spend time with him. Most of his friendships grew from convince or were introduced to him by Mark and Jackson. Jinyoung fit into the category of a friend of a friend. If this was like any other situation the attention was mostly to be set on to Mark and the mutual affection the two had for him. Mark would lead the conversation and both would listen. But this dinner was different. This dinner had become two sets of eyes on the younger and sometime Youngjae was concerned that Mark was being left out. He was floored by the fact that Jinyoung’s intentions were beyond pleasing Mark by being on good terms and having a good co-worker relationship. Anything beyond that didn’t compute well with Youngjae. It was as if he was to pass a dog and didn’t feel the urge to pet it. 

“Wow, I didn’t know the feeling was mutual. I am really excited to get to know you too.” Youngjae smiled through his obviously red face. The bathroom door opened to reveal a stranger who gave off a no-nonsense aura and shot a mean look at the duo that looked like a Disney villain. Which led them to laugh as they made their exit.

“I didn’t think we would have our first hashing out of feelings in the bathroom” Jinyoung giggled more to himself but he received the same loud laughter he walked into when he met the younger earlier today. Jinyoung values peace and quiet but this laugh was something he could get used to.

“It means we are off to a good start. Communication is key.” Smiling deviously Youngjae leaned close to Jinyoung’s ear as they approached the table. Jinyoung wouldn’t admit he blushed because it was obviously the heat of the open grills getting to him. “How else are we going to team up and prank Mark Hyung”, Youngjae’s eyes held the same glint that Jinyoung’s kids had when they were holding a frog behind their backs when they sneak back into class. 

“We are going to get along just great” Jinyoung eyes matched the mischievous glint.

Youngjae’s heart fluttered. It is an indescribable feeling when someone wants to become friends with you. Youngjae’s heart yearned for a best friend more than anything. Even though Mark and Jackson were so close to Youngjae, they were more like family than friends after so much history between them. To have someone who wants to share their lives with you. Someone who wants to mutually care for you as you do them. To go to the movies and plan things with because you miss their company. Youngjae just finally wanted someone to be on the same page with him. Someone who wanted the same things as him in their relationship because you just clicked that way. To put it plainly, Youngjae wanted to be one the same page as someone. After today, Youngjae felt that as if Jinyoung was reading the same book at the same paces as him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mark- 2 Jackson- 0 
> 
> Jinyoung is killing it. JB will appear next chapter so hopefully he can catch up. 
> 
> Thank you so much! I have hit over 1000 hit! I am almost at 100 kudos too. Thank you for your support and comments. I have had a tough passed few days and a lot of bad news recently so I decided to focus on this story and update sooner. This story cheers me up with its cuteness and I hope it cheers you all up too. 
> 
> <3 泰河


	8. Inconvenience or In convenience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JB is back in the game. Also he really likes cats

Jackson was not happy. The song he was helping write for the newest album of some artist from some band had a schedule change. Since this kid was flying around all the time he was unable to match up their schedules. Leaving Jackson to suffer with odder work hours than usual. He was not usually that productive at 3:45AM compared to JB hyung. He missed sharing his bed with Markie. Even though the two were catty with “Who is the Better Cupid” competition. It was nice to have something to snuggle besides the stiff keyboard. It was getting closer to midnight and it was a Friday night. He usually had Fridays off. He would laze around in his boxers after his routine workout and shower. He would wait until Mark would get home and watch their favorite drama together and “other things” until Youngjae needed picked up from work. With this screwed up schedule this has been ripped away from Jackson. 

With Comebacks season being a major cock block, Jackson has been nothing but moody and whiny. Since JB had had the blunt of it but over the years he wasn’t as agitated. Also, he got better headphones in honor of “Jackson Bitch A lot” season. JB was almost don’t for the night and would stay with Jackson but he didn’t have the stomach to deal with a exhausted Jackson and an idol he didn’t really care for. His only concern was cuddling Nora and eating ramen. 

That was until a phone call left Jackson into a huffing fit. 

“God Damn it!” 

“What’s wrong Jacks?” JB doesn’t see Jackson upset often. The younger usually swallows it down with a smile and returns more determined in his work. So, this must be serious. The poor kid has been exhausted by extending his kindness a little too thin. This must have been what finally broke the younger's patience’s with the idol. It is understandable for an idol to have a ridiculous schedule but insisting for an individual to work such odd hours and in-person along with the whole album in general is a lot for someone. The idol was also nitpicky and ungrateful. JB would have taken over but the brat rubbed him the wrong way since their first collaboration. Jackson was more patient and let things go when they were in a professional setting.   
“They changed the schedule, again. I promised to pick up Youngjae but they are going to be here to record in twenty minutes and there is no way I can make it back and forth.”, Jackson features were stressed and stretched out into a frown. 

They have talked about why a grown man cannot walk himself home and it always ended with “It’s our way of protecting him.”, He is an easy target “and “This is all I can do to protect him so I will”. It seemed that there was more to it but JB didn’t press. The couple have seemed to always baby Youngjae but after meeting the boy in a sober state. You couldn’t help but want to protect him.   
“Well I am done with my work. I can drive him hom-“,before JB could even finish his sentence his personal space had been invaded. Jacksons big bright eyes gleamed. Suspiciously.   
“OH THANK YOU HYUNG YOU ARE THE BEST! I’m going to text Youngjae now.” They younger began to pack up JB’s thing for him and threw his leather jacket into to his face. He didn’t notice to say sorry because he was too distracted finding the elder's wallet and keys. 

JB raised his eyebrow at the younger and made his way to the door. Not without a not so subtle push from an excited Jackson that left him stumbling. Alterative motives are as pungent as last time. Hopefully he won’t end up drunk this time. The thought of meeting the kid after a week or so of fawning over his background didn’t hit him until the cold wind from the parking lot did. He shivered and couldn’t hide his small smile that creeped on to his lips. 

Jaebum is in full swing of having a crush. He smiles day dreaming about the younger. He thinks about small features and different ways of them meeting by chance. He even had a dream about meeting the cute boy at his favorite coffee shop. After years of writing love songs he is using that talent to write his own visual love story.   
He arrives to his car. It’s a simple black two door car. Jackson had tried to convince him one night that they go car racing but panicked when JB went over the speed limit by just 5 notches. Putting in his keys he spaces out into a world of day dreams. He goes through the motions and gets into his car. His attaches his phone to the speakers and looks through his play list. Then the panic hits him. His mind starts to go through a long stream of vivid thoughts and scenarios. 

JB is a music snob and he judges people harshly on their taste. His playlist it well crafted and perfectly placed each song to have smooth transitions. He prided himself in his music taste and never questioned its abilities before. But when a cute stranger that you gave a horrid first impression on is going to be in that passenger seat in less than ten minutes. You start to second guess yourself. What type of music would the younger like? What type of music would make JB look like a good guy who kinda fucked up because he was drunk but not look like he is trying too hard.   
Then the thoughts morphed as he drove to the restaurant in a downward spiral of self-consciousness. This poor guy is going to have to sit with a bumbling fool in the car on his way home and probably be miserable. Jaebum’s fantasy are not going to come true and his daydreams were not true. Because in real life when you drunkenly fall on someone you don’t get a happily every after.   
As he pulled up to the back-parking lot which Jackson mentioned as the pickup zone his phone dinged. It was a text from an unknown number. 

XXX-XXX-XXXX  
Hello this is Youngjae. I am Jackson’s friend. He told me you that you were picking me up. Thank you so much for doing this favor! I will be about 10 more minutes because I need to lock up. Sorry for the inconveniences. ( # ^ .^ # )

The emoji was of a shy face and it honestly made JB’s heart flutter. He could imagine the shy expression of the younger. He fantasized about it enough times. He responded with a quick but casual, “Okay. Don’t Worry about it. I am here when you are ready” and mentally patted himself on the back when he received a thumbs up emoji.   
He was about to put in his phone the youngers number as a contact when he realized how many Youngjae’s he actual knows. Some coworkers and other friends from school. So to classify the younger in his phone he put a sun emoji next to his name. Unlike most of JB’s secret nicknames for the younger, this came about when he saw him at the park. When the younger was on the bridge the sun hit the back of his head in just the right spot. It made the younger look like he had a halo. Now most would say that the nickname would have been “angel” instead which was another nickname he held for the younger in his fantasy dates. But when the sun touched his hair and he was smiling widely with his puppy, JB felt a soft warmth encompass him. 

While JB was waiting for the younger he scrolled through his music. His confidence had a returned slightly at the good exchange the two had through text or more so the not right out discuss the younger had for JB after his Oscar worthy performance. He then heard a loud thud that brought out a less than manly yelp that he would like to admit. Since he was in the parking lot behind the restaurant he was met with the little scavenger that awaited dinner. One of them was sitting on the hood of his car that was currently off. 

Snickering to himself at the utter disregard the sleek, black cat had for him or his vehicle. The cat was cleaning itself and JB was smitten. He loved cats to an extreme level and was obsessed with them. Jaebum opened his car door slowly and inched his way towards the feline. Grabbing into his pocket he brought out some treats and placed them on the other side of the hood. The smell caught the feline’s attention and it cautiously made its way over to the food. Though still shooting JB an indifferent glance to assure him that he was not what the cat desired. 

While the cat was distracted with the food Jaebum waited to hear the purring sound from the skinny cat. When the vibrations of pleasure were heard, JB stuck out his hand. The motion caught the cats attention and he raised his head to look at the limb. Then the feline promptly returned to his small pile of salmon flavored treats. JB kept his hand up as a sign of patience. He theorized that if a cat knew you were waiting on them they take their sweet time, but the longer you wait the sweeter the reward. So, when the treats were gone and all that lingers is the salmon smell on JB’s hand the stray began to sniff tentatively towards the older. JB felt his heart swell and his breath caught in his throat. This was it. This was the moment. 

The first nuzzling of his hand in appreciation was the biggest victory to date. All things were good and pure in the world when you were petting a cat. JB smiled as he cooed at the stray. Cats have the way about them that haves the appear as if they are always listening. This nature to them made Jaebum love them even more. Though he was biased to Nora, all cats stole his heart. Sitting on his hood he coaxed the cat to come closer and was awarded with the feline beginning to rub against him. This was going to piss off Nora when he gets home. The image of Nora with her tail flicking annoyed as she has her back turned to him for the next few hours until she has to sweet talk him into refilling her bowl.

The stray finally made his way into his way into his lap and stepping all over him. JB was in another world that he didn’t notice the cute blond make his way over. 

“Im Jaebum?” Youngjae finally spoke. After gazing at the man in ripped jeans and a dark grey band t-shirt with tons of piercing fawn over a cat, Youngjae decided that his creeping went on long enough and he didn't want to inconveniences the older any longer. 

But the breaking of the silence made JB jump causing the stray to revert into the fight or flight instincts. The flight only occurred after the fight which left JB wrist covered in a couple more gashes.   
“Oh, my gosh I am so sorry!” Youngjae felt like a total asshole. He began to get flustered looking around for bandages and disinfectant. 

“Gosh darn it!” Youngjae mumbled out when his bag offered not relief to the problem. 

“It’s find Youngjae, it’s not that big of a deal. It was a little deeper than the usual scratch but Nora has done worse.” JB tried to calm the younger with his casual tone. It stung for sure but he wasn’t going to let the younger know. 

Youngjae wasn’t having it though. He grabbed the elder’s wrist and inspected it. Too concerned to be formal with the older and too focused to see how red JB’s face got. The dim parking lot light did not offer any help. 

“The cat was a stray and probably carries diseases and you can get very sick. There is a convenience store that is still open close to here. Let’s go get you bandaged up. “Youngjae looked up at the older and JB was putty in his hands. 

“Alright.” JB was pulled up by the younger and led the way to the convenience store. Youngjae was too focused and flustered to notice he was still holding hands with JB. The weight didn’t feel foreign or bad. It felt natural. 

The quietness of the walk began to weight on them and the adrenal of the situation allowed Youngjae to quickly slip his hand out of JB’s with a small “sorry” to accompany it. 

“It’s alright Youngjae. I didn’t mind. You have nice hands.” The sentence came out before JB could register what he said. This left the two with cherry red faces and JB's heart fluttering. 

“Your hands are nice too, their warm.” Youngjae responded with a small smile looking up to the sleek features that looked harsher in the dark lighting. But Youngjae swore that this is the softest the older has ever looked. 

JB then too the last bit of courage he had and slipped his uninjured hand back into Youngjae’s soft hand. Without looking at the younger or showing his face that was steaming from how hot his cheeks grew. They didn’t let go until they reached the convenience store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JB is back and kicking. I hope Jinyoung is ready for the competition because its going to get interesting. The scores will be discussed next chapter. Tell me how many points you think hand holding is worth? 
> 
> Thank you so much. I have reached over 100 Kudos! That's amazing to me. I feeling better now and am thankful for all of your nice comments. I love hearing from you guys. I don't know if this is weird but if any of you are interested I do have a tumblr that is for kpop called @what-not-to-wear-kpop . I hope you enjoyed this chapter and tell me what you think so far.


	9. ScoreBoard

Mark woke up groggy. He was exhausted after hours of grading essays from his fourth graders. He had to do it slowly and multiple times because the huge number of mistakes. It’s the kids second, some third language so the mistakes were common. He understands that these mistakes would happen and how to balance them with the mistakes he had went over before. So there he is in front of his television watching the DVD his mom sent him of Friends

He was curled up in a blanket cocoon and a bowl of potatoes chips. He is hugging the bowl to offer him some comfort. Since Jackson and him haven’t had their cuddle time in weeks and Mark misses their snuggling time and the lack of it has been getting to him. The only time they had together is the sweet kisses and exhausted flopping on top of one another after a long day of work. 

After letting the TV start another episode automatically, Mark yawned into the empty house. The only sound he had heard since he got home was the pitter patter of Coco’s feet on the hardwood floor. The house was too quiet. Even though, Mark is on the quiet side he hated the empty silence. With Youngjae and Jackson the silence was comfortable but now it was just a reminder of the other two being out. So he laid down and watched Ross and Rachel once again try not to submit to the sexual tension. His eyes were heavy and the blanket was warm. 

Mark was almost checking into dreamland for the night but was disturbed by a tapping at the fire escape window. It made Mark jump right out of his skin. But he didn’t have to worry for long because Coco emerged from her slumber in Youngjae’s room to run and bark at the intruder. Mark wrapped his body protectively in his Pikachu blanket to arrive to the fire escape window to see his boyfriends goofy form.   
Jackson was out of breath and it was apparent in his heaving form. If he knocked on another window in this state he would have been hand cuffed and wheeled away to a looney bin. But atlas he was met by the raising of Mark’s perfect eyebrow. How cute his boyfriends unsurprised face is when Jackson does something completely off the wall. Jackson could revel in Marks beauty like Romeo did with Juliet all night but he was on a mission. 

“Is Youngjae home yet, babe?

“You didn’t pick him up!” Mark eyebrows furrowed and his face got hot. How could Jackson be so dumb. Pissed off he swiftly went to pick up his phone and keys to go pick up his practical child who is probably shivering out in the cold. This was so unlike Jackson and Mark was extremely angry. They both know that Youngjae needed escorted home because- 

“JB is picking him up. In his nice car and open arms.“ the smug voice gave Mark enough time to process what was going on. Jackson was playing hard ball but no matter what Team Jinyoung had scored enough points in the force quarter Jackson would need a miracle. But that didn’t mean that Mark wanted Jackson team to have any advantage. He wanted to demolish Jackson. So he kept his cool and kept his face cold and neutral. 

“Oh so Youngjae had to be the Designated Driver again?” Mark was not going to succeed to Jacksons taunting. He had to keep focus and devise a plan to help the perfect couple get the show going and Jackson childish taunts are not going to help anyone. Also, Mark was the winner. 

Jackson cheeks puffed up at the offense. If Mark wasn’t trying to be haughty he would be giggling at the cute expression on his boyfriend’s face. The two have been exchanging smart remarks since the fight began. Jackson received an earful after the glorious dinner date and the one time Jinyoung sent a message to Youngjae the contained an emoji. Mark swore he was going to have a heart attack. He was surprised of how quickly the straight-laced coworker had warmed up to Youngjae. But when you are in direct sunlight it can be hard being cold. 

“It was an accident” Jackson finally whined back to his boyfriend. “He never gets drunk and I have told Youngjae a thousand times of how JB is sorry and is too embarrassed to show his face”for 

“So, what made tonight any different?” The window was finally opened as Mark pecked the pretty boy sweetly on his lips. Despite the tension of the competitive challenge, both boys missed each other dearly and affectionate even when they want to murder the other half. They are too weak for one another to resist touching one another 

“ He pitied me because of my client changing the schedule-

“AGAIN?!” Mark swears that he wanted to beat up the brat that is stealing away his boyfriend. Sleeping alone was not something Mark enjoyed. The bed feels too cold and too empty without Jackson sprawled out all over Mark. 

“but after JB hyung left they called and canceled hence why I am here. “ ,Jackson smirked at Mark. This was the earliest he had gotten home and since tomorrow was both of their days off it will be a whole day cuddle session and movies without either being too exhausted. 

Mark rolled his eyes at the events unfolding. Jackson was given a break and first thing he thought to do was even the large gap between their scores. Jackson played hard but it was still early in the game.   
“Come snuggle with me” Mark opened his arm after he sat in his still warm spot on the couch. Jackson crawled in to the welcoming space and fitted his head into the warm spot of his boyfriend’s neck. Jacksons presence made Mark heart slow down. He felt the world spin slower too. The calmness of the house was broken by the realization of the third member missing. The cuddle pile wasn’t complete. 

“How long ago did JB go to pick up our little otter? “

“Let me check my phone.” Jackson cocked his head and then wiggled to get his phone in his back pocket. 

“Mmm I left about 1:00 ish and not it is…..2AM?!”

Mark stood up dropping Jackson head onto the couch with a light thud. Mark scurried over to their shared room to retrieve proper pants and his keys. 

“Markie, I can call JB-“ 

“Its been two hours since our Otter got off of work, he could of raped Youngjae and killed him” 

“JB wouldn’t do that he-. What do you mean rape?“ Jackson knew Mark could let his feelings run away with him but this was unusual. 

“They could of crashed” Mark was getting more hysterics and making grander accusations and face was flushed. Jackson was concerned but he knew that Mark needed to be calmed down first. He grabbed Marks distressed form and forced eye contact. “Mark let’s call Youngjae and figure out what is going on before you go on a wild goose chase.”, Jackson spoke softly but was stern. 

“Okay” Mark took a deep breath and scrolled to Youngjae’s contact. It wasn’t that far down because he called Youngjae earlier to see if the younger arrived to work alright. The phone began to ring and it was met with the distinct ringtone filling the foyer. Mark ripped himself from Jacksons arm and swing the front door open only to be met with a bizarre image. 

JB had his large hand on top of Youngjae’s strawberry blond hair. Jackson had never seen that look in JB’s eyes and Youngjae never looked so void of life. What broke the frozen men is Coco running to Youngjae’s leg. She was jumped and made her piercing bark at her owner. Youngjae immediately scooped her up only to receive kisses on his cheek. It was as if the younger became animated with his crinkled eye smile and toothy grin as he holds his pride and joy. 

JB blinked and took a cautious step back. Jackson looked at Mark and held a huge smirk. Mark was still wide eyed still clutching the door knob to their apartment. Something happened. 

“JB Hyung! How are you doing? Did Youngjae behave himself” Jackson was talking as if he was picking up his child from the babysitter and it irked Mark greatly. 

“What took you so long getting Youngjae home” Mark’s voice was like ice and JB felt his breath catch in his throat. Mark was not in the mood nor interested in the response from the man. 

“Umm. Youngjae bandaged me up because I got scratched and we had ramen at the convenience store- “Even though JB was telling the truth he could obviously tell that Mark didn’t care. Youngjae also was not really paying attention as Coco was trying to wiggle free from his grasp. 

Jackson could feel the tension from his boyfriend but he wanted his victory lap with the obvious amount of points he accumulated tonight. 

So completely ignoring the confession of injury or the death glare from Mark. He invited JB in to the cozy apartment.

“Oh no, I couldn’t. I need to go take care of Nora and its late. But maybe another time. Bye you guys, text you later Youngjae” he said with a light wave and a small smile. Jackson was elated at the pink blush Youngjae gave back in response. 

With that JB left down the hall and Mark grabbed Youngjae and held him tightly to his chest. Mumbling into Youngjae’s strawberry blond hair about how worried he was and that he should have texted the couple. 

Jackson felt a twinge of guilt for making his boyfriend worry but it was simply whisked away by Youngjae’s loud laughter filling the foyer. 

“Hyung I am okay. You two should have been more worried about JB. He got a nasty cut by the black cat that lives behind the restaurant-”

Mark gave Jackson a look and then waddled over to the couch with Youngjae’s head still in his embrace. “Start from the top” 

The pair flopped onto the couch and assumed the position of Youngjae between Marks legs his head on his chest and Mark head lulled on to Jacksons shoulder getting his hair played with. This was the trio’s perfect cuddle position after years of experimenting with different positions. 

“Well it all started when Jackson texted me that he couldn’t pick me up because of Jackson being busy and how JB is the one who is going to pick me up. Sadly, I had to make JB wait because I was helping the lock up crew because they were shorthanded. “

Jackson and Mark were hanging onto every word that fell from Youngjae’s cute plump lips. Mark ran his fingers through Youngjae’s hair to push him to continue. 

“While he was waiting, he was playing with one of the stray cats and I accidently startled them and he got scratched. So, I took him to the convenience store down the road to clean him up. While we were at the convenience store both of our stomachs became vocal so he bought me ramen and some snacks. He refused to let me pay for myself “Youngjae snuggled his head into Mark’s chest like a shy child trying to hide his burning cheeks. “He said it was because I was such a good nurse to him” 

“Points”, Jackson whispered into Mark’s ear with a haughty expression. Mark rolled his eyes. 

“Then- “Youngjae began but caught himself “that was it. That’s all that happened. We ate together and talked for a while. He is quit pleasant when he is sober”  
Jackson let out a high-pitched giggle and it began to infect the rest of the trio. They started to joke around for a little bit and Jackson gave a great impersonation of the great JB drinking scandal. This all came to an end when Youngjae yawned and Coco was scratching at the sofa cushion for her bed partner to go to bed. He smiled at the couple and bid them good night. 

When Youngjae’s head hit his the large heap of pillows that took up a third of his bed he began to think back to what occurred earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry It took me so long to update. This chapter for some reason was hard to write and I also am finishing my exams this week so I couldn't update like I usually do. I hope you liked this chapter and tell me who you want to hear from next. I live for domestic Markson! Also the mysterious events at the convenience store date~. Thank you for your support! 
> 
>  
> 
> <3 泰河


	10. Frappes and Fist Fights

Schools become a surreal place after you graduate. All schools look the same but when you are no longer knee height trouble makers. The rooms become smaller and the halls are empty and are not as long. But it is all how you left it. Youngjae had quickly learned the layout of the elementary school to the point he could leave his mind in a day dream while his trained feet took him to what recently became his sanctuary

Youngjae never really thought he would ever enjoy working with children. He was the youngest of his blood family and metaphorical one. Most of the time he is a giant kid himself. He whines about getting up in the morning and has Mark cut his meat for him. His childish nature was not his best quality. He had to be the adult every time he stepped out of the apartment and he honestly hated it.   
But in this room filled with a variety of music and children voices navigating complex lyrics, many with themes and emotions he wishes for none of the children to ever experience, he did not feel as if he was an adult nor child. 

Of course sometimes he had to help Jinyoung by using his adult voice when the children became too rowdy but most of the time he was in a land of neutrality. That the only difference between him and the children did not lie in their age difference but their variety of life experiences. So students he had met had lived lives more complicated than his and others were blissfully ignorant, Their love of singing and music united them despite the variety of age, upbringing and abilities. He could horse around with the kids and discuss animatedly with them over a variety of subjects beyond just music.

The most important thing he has every learned in his short while of teaching is that children and adults are the same. This breakthrough came to him after he shared one of the many after work dinner with Jinyoung. They often met up on Tuesdays before the club meetings on Fridays. The usual meet up days are on Tuesday since Youngjae’s classes ended early on those days he would swing by the school to visit Jinyoung in his office and sit and work on the lesson for the club activities before he went to work. Jinyoung often treating him to dinner would then escort him to work where his pesty coworkers would fawn over his “boyfriend” dropping him off. 

Youngjae enjoyed falling into the comfortable routine between the two and soon found himself looking forward to their time alone together. Unbeknownst to him, Jinyoung viewed these Tuesday dinners as the highlight of his week too. 

So here they are again. Sitting and sharing their usual coffee. Well if you considered the sugar rush chocolate frappe Youngjae is consuming the same thing as Jinyoung’s coffee with 1 sugar and a splash of milk the same thing. Jinyoung listening to the younger talk excitedly about his week and his experience with the kids also relit the flame of Jinyoung’s first year teaching heart. He felt younger with Youngjae around. No in the physical way where all his joints didn’t crack in the morning but the youthful feeling of discovering the world as if it was new. Youngjae made everything feel fresh and good. No matter how hard some lessons with the kids would be, Youngjae took it in strides and made it a positive thing. 

“You handled Jae and Jimin’s issue really well today, I though the tyrannical duo was done for before you stepped in” Jinyoung complimented Youngjae as they sat down at their usual spot in the café. 

“Me too, but I wasn’t the one who handled it. The two did all the hard work.” Youngjae smiled fondly as his little heart swelled with pride. Park Jimin had a special place in Youngjaes heart. She was a pluckly 3rd grader with a beautiful voice. She was very outspoken and full of energy. She very quickly became Youngjae’s favorite especially with their similar music taste. She always greeted Youngjae with a huge smile and complained whenever Jinyoung told her she cannot sit on Youngjae’s lap when he is playing the piano.   
Jinyoung hummed in agreement with the younger but didn’t say anything to give Youngjae the chance to explain what occurred earlier today when all chaos broke loose. 

“I knew something was wrong with her as soon as she walked in the door. She walked in alone and quiet. Though she isn’t as loud as some of our kids can be but-“ Jinyoung almost choked on his coffee at the term “our kids” rolling off at Youngjae’s lips. His heart did not stutter. 

“I asked her if she wasn’t feeling well and she told me not to worry” Youngjae’s voice then grew sad at the thought of the little girl being miserable but he did it in a way that was too cute for Jinyoung to handle. He has to bite his cheek to conceal a smile. “she didn’t even want to sit with me” Jinyoung nodded along completely enthralled in Youngjae’s story telling. Youngjae spoke as if it was the end of the world that Jimin didn’t want to sit with him. 

“So I sat and watched and when Jae came in with his other friends and didn’t even spare jimin a glace, when she was obviously throwing the “notice me” eyes. I found the root of the problem. So, I sat and watched as she finally got annoyed and went to go pick on him as she usually does to incite their funny banter.” Jinyoung and Youngjae chuckled at the thought of Jimin and Jae’s playful conversations. “But I didn’t expect him to completely brush her off and tell her to “buzz off”” Youngjae sighed. 

“Well I bet Jae wasn’t expecting her to punch him square in the face” Jinyoung couldn’t help but giggle at what now was a comical scene of Youngjae and him trying to separate Jimin’s and Jae from one another. Jinyoung taking Jae to the nurse’s office to tend to his red nose. Youngjae holding a sobbing Jimin. 

Finally when Jinyoung returned to watch the class, Youngjae volunteered to mediate between the duo. Jinyoung obviously grateful returning to a quiet classroom and seeing the class in order going through their choral warm up. Youngjae scooped up Jimin and offered a hand to Jae to take them to another room. 

“Yes. It was quiet scary but I can understand why Jimin acted that way. For the past week Jae has been ignoring her. He would fake being sick whenever Jimin would come over to his apartment to play, not sitting with her at lunch. He even left her in the rain when walking home together. Being ignored in chorus club seemed to be the last straw. “   
“So what magic did you pull to make the two talk.” 

“Well I figured that Jae did it for a reason and that this wasn’t careless bullying.”

“Well why did Jae act that way?”

“Jimin apparently teamed up with Yerin for a group project instead of Jae. She did this because Yerin had been lonely since Baek A Yeon had moved away. She didn’t tell Jae this because she didn’t want   
Yerin to feel as if she was doing it because she felt bad.” 

“That makes sense. But why didn’t Jimin tell Jae after he started acting mean towards her. She endured for a long time.” Jinyoung still didn’t click all the details together compared to Youngjae. 

“You are an only child right?” Youngjae stated it the same way as one would say the sky is blue.   
Jinyoung only nodded. He tried to wrack his brain if he had shared the detail of his life with the younger but was pulled back in with Youngjae’s airy giggle. 

“It is very hard for people to share in life. Its not that someone is selfish. Its because we all long for the one person who is for us. Our “number one” if you will. So Jimin felt that she was no longer Jae’s “number one” when he treated her badly even though she didn’t do anything wrong.”, Jinyoung was amazed by the words coming out of Youngjae’s pretty mouth. Its not that he took the younger as airheaded but he was not expecting it. But this conversation has definitely changed his perspective of the younger. Maybe it was his lack of experience with peers younger than him after spending most of his life in advance classes and transitioned quickly to the adult world when he was excepted to JYP Entertainment in his middle school to high school time. 

“So they behaved that way because they were jealous?”, Jinyoung stated trying to tie down the idea. 

Youngjae shook his head and though for a moment. Wanting to choose the words carefully. Jinyoung watched the younger’s brain go to work. When Youngjae’s eyes twinkled with an answer Jinyoung’s heart stuttered. 

“I think the best way I can explain this is through my experience.” Youngjae looked at the older to receive consent for telling his own personal story. Jinyoung seems to be the type to keep business and friendship separate so Youngjae is worried a bit for sharing. Especially this story that shows not the best side of him. But Jinyoung nodded in agreement. His cute eye whiskers also comforted Youngjae along with giving him a light pink flush over his cheeks when he noticed he was staring to long. So, with a tasteful clearing of his throat he began his story. 

“I have lived with Mark for many years. Even longer than his boyfriend. Mark took me in when I had nowhere to go. I was very young when this story took place and I was very dependent on Mark and Jackson. So please forgive my behavior in this story. “Youngjae said sheepishly. 

“Mark and Jackson had a friend come and stay with us and I was not warned or prepared for this. One day their friend just showed up and turned my life upside down. He was younger than me by a year so I was excited not to be the baby of the group anymore. But what I didn’t know was this friend was coming to stay with us in the apartment for a extended amount of time. He was a foreigner from Thailand whom Jackson met through work. His nickname was Bambam. Mark instantly fell in love with the kid. He was tall, skinny and cute. He had one of those eternal baby faces. He was out going and tons of fun. He moved in and over time I grew to hate him. Since it was usually just us in the apartment because Mark was working and Jackson just started his career. I went to school but our guest, Bambam, stayed there all day. I would return and the apartment be a mess and since Mark and Jackson worked long hours the kid stuck to me like glue I became overwhelmed. It was a responsibility I was never asked to have and never thanked for. It was expected of me. Bambam would say little things that would irk me and sometime just straight up insult me. “, Jinyoung eyes widen in shock at the notion of Youngjae being bullied at home. Then his face morphed into his slanted eyebrows and scrunched nose angry face. It irked him that someone was so rude to Youngjae. He has grown protective of the younger. One time they were at a different café because this one was down for construction and the waiter was rude to Youngjae and Jinyoung caused a polite ruckus and wrote a lengthy email to management. 

“I of course went to Mark and asked him how long Bambam was staying and I would get around about answers or completely blown off. Looking back I was not very clear in expressing myself because I was so use to have Mark understand me without being blunt about things. I only grew upset a month later. Mark and Jackson begun to exclude me from things and I felt replaced, I gave Bambam my room which he told me looked like a baby room. I would take him out on his errands because he didn’t understand our transportation system. I would take him out to eat and he would forget his wallet. I was expected to be okay with all of this. And though I wasn’t in a living hell, I was bothered. But what really pushed me over the edge was when they all came back when I was studying for a big exam. They went to the carnival and didn’t even ask me to come. They also got matching t-shirts that said “Amerithaikong” on them. Though I was hurt, I kept quiet and waited to address this once again when my exam was over the next day. Until Bambam came to bother me about Coco needing something. I told him to figure it out himself and I was busy being under the wire for my exam the next day. Only to have him return with Mark in hysterics about Coco destroy Bambam’s expensive shoes. I asked them to just wait for me to handle it later because I was busy. But Bambam came over to me demanding compensation and then he told me that my sweet Coco was a bad dog and wasn’t trained well. So I punched him in the face. 

Jinyoung sputtered his ice coffee. He was unprepared for this change of event. Youngjae hitting anyone was as fathomable as Youngjae walking past a dog and not going out of his way to pet it. 

“You what?!” 

“I told you that I was young and to not to judge me”, Youngjae shied back from the volume of Jinyoung’s voice. 

“No no no. I would have punched the kid too from the start but I am surprised that you did. You punching someone is unexpected. So what happened next?” 

“Well I took my homework and Coco and left to a park close to where I live. I sat under a tree and finished my paper and cried holding Coco. I bruised up my hand bad too so writing hurt too. I left my phone but I knew I was under that tree for hours because the sun went down and the runners I see when I took Coco out for her nightly walks were out. I thought I was going to have to sleep out there like I did- “,   
Youngjae stopped himself. Despite his feeling of closeness with Jinyoung he wasn’t ready to jeopardize this new-found friendship with his past getting in the way. “When I went camping.”, good save Youngjae. 

“They didn’t even try to find you? Did you sleep under the tree?” Jinyoung couldn’t help his rapid fire of questions. 

“Nope. I walked back to the apartment to get my wallet to go buy a hotel for the night, also my phone, and food and puppy jacket for Coco because it was getting cold outside. And when I got to the apartment I was surprised. I thought I was going to hear laughter and a moving playing. As if my leaving didn’t affect them because for the past month it hadn’t. So, I was surprised to find Mark alone in the living room. I wanted to have some of my pride so I ignored him and walked into my bedroom that had been over taken by the fashionista. Seriously I never have met anyone with so many shoes.”, Youngjae chuckles to himself at the memory.

“I got my bag and was about to leave until Mark came in and asked me to stay and talk. Of course, I responded with a witty remark that I sadly do not remember but it was along the lines of, “Now you want me to stay?”. Youngjae shook his head in distaste. Still ashamed of his younger self being so rude to his hyung.

“He grabbed me into a hug and sat me down with Coco and explained how sorry he was. Apparently, the couple thought I was fine with Bambam staying with us because they were not bothered by it themselves. Since I was the baby of the trio they didn’t think it affected me that much. When I left apparently Bambam broke into tears not from the punch but at the thought I hated him. They had only heard from Bambam home much fun we had together and how much Bambam enjoyed being with me that they didn’t think I had a problem based on Bambam telling them of their time together. He felt so bad for being a burden on me that the other two realized all that I did for Bambam while they were away. Also, I was told Bambam’s true purpose for the visit. He apparently was getting out of an abusive relationship and Jackson offered our home as a safe space, far away from the guy who was stalking and threating him. Since Bambam had no help from the police back in his country because he was gay. Homophobia in the area he lived in caused him to be look down upon so he was out of luck. It turned out that a lot of Bambam’s insults were mistranslations and limited Korean vocabulary. He was scared and in new place with the fear of someone coming after him and maybe even harming him, so of course he needed me. I wasn’t necessarily jealous because I didn’t want to be Bambam. I just wanted to be reassured that I was cared for by my hyungs as much as I cared for them.” 

Jinyoung took a moment and smiled. “Your perspective on life is interesting. So to wrap it up you knew why Jimin and Jae were acting that way because you had been there.”

“Jimin wanted to protect Yerin because Yerin was the one who needed her the most. She knew Jae would be fine but fine isn’t always the best thing. Jae felt neglected for no reason and thought he knew Jimin well enough to think that she would always choose him. Sometimes we think we are the only ones insecure in our love for one another. It’s hard to think that someone else is worried about losing us because we are too busy trying not to lose them ourselves. “, Youngjae smiles cutely when his eyes turned into crescents. “Maybe kids and adults are not so different.”

“Youngjae, you have grown so much as a teacher in front of me and I am really happy that I have you to talk with as often as I do. You amaze me.” Jinyoung was in complete awe of the other.   
Youngjae quickly sucked down his frappe to cover up how flustered he got. Jinyoung makes him so flustered with all these compliments the other spills onto him. He feels like he is overflowing with all the attention Jinyoung gives him. It’s not that he doesn’t like it. He loves the attention that Jackson and Mark gives him. But this was different. 

“Also, if anything, god forbid, ever happens between you and the guys like that again. Don’t worry about sleeping under a tree or getting a hotel. You are always welcome to stay at my place if need be. I want you to depend on me too.”, Jinyoung is still bothered by the thought of Youngjae having any fear of being kicked out. He could tell from their countless other interactions that Youngjae must have been hurt badly in the past to warrant his behavior and Mark’s protective nature. Jinyoung want to have Youngjae safe and protected. He wants Youngjae to feel as safe with him as he does with Mark one day. He wants to deep down and too soon to admit but he wants to Youngjae’s “number one” like Jimin and Jae are each other.

“Really hyung?” Youngjae left his drink to look up at the older in shock. Jinyoung couldn’t handle the innocent look of the younger. His eyes were wide and his hair looked soft as silk. His expressive featured made him easy to read and interesting to watch. He looked adorable, especially with the bit of whipped cream on his nose. Jinyoung couldn’t resist him and reached across the table to wipe his nose clean. 

“Really.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys didn't forget about me. I apologize for being absent lately but I have been busy and over all uninspired with this transitioning part of the story. I know that I need certain things to occur first before I can get to the fun stuff and I need to be a responsible author to deliver you guys a good story. To think of it this way, all these problems will pop again among the characters. I am really happy with this chapter and I wanted to give some insight on Youngjae's and Jinyoung's relationship and dynamic that has come about through their time together and I hope it came out well. I will be doing that next with Jaebum too. I hope you found this chapter interesting and you guys are doing well. I hope you liked this chapter and are doing well. Thank you for all the comments and kudos. 
> 
> <3   
> 泰河·


	11. Crushing to Crashing

Having a one-sided crush is JB’s favorite thing. It sounds obscure, but JB found it enjoyable. He could see the stars in someone and day dream about what could be without any fear of heart break. He knows the reality of what a real relationship is. The constant fear and jealousy of being with someone whom has complete control over you heart. To become foolish and lose ones self in desire to hold the other one close. To do thing for another and sacrifice so much for what you view as your part. Being manipulated into the idea that your whole being is not enough. Scrimping and saving for a small morsel of affection back. 

JB can guard himself in these fleeting crushes. Though to most it sounds like self inflicted torture but for JB it is free therapy. When JB has a crush, it proves to him that he is capable of love and in some way of being loved in the little ways that the "focus of his attention" does for him. To imagine someone caring for him being beyond just a possibility. That’s why he continued these crushes because for the first time in a long time he could love freely. He could love someone and enjoy the process. He could smile at the boy’s jokes. Look at him fondly for as long as he liked without getting a clenching feeling in his stomach that he would be caught. He could speak freely of his beliefs and idea without judgement and above a whisper. He could hold hands and be in love in his own heart.   
He was no longer a secret.

That’s what he left behind all those years ago. The fear, anger, shame, and disgust. Jaebum found that through these little crushes the possibility that he is capable of love and it was not wrong of him to love. But it wasn’t enough. He still had a long way to go because he was still to fragile. His heart still clutched and his throat grew dry when he thought of HIM. How he suffered alone in indifference and silences. He wasn’t ready to push himself away from the trauma completely. 

Until Youngjae appeared. 

At first Jaebum believed that this would be the same fleeting crushes he has had on a dozen other men whom he has crossed paths with; be it the cute coffee shop guy or that one dancer that used to challenge him to b-boy battles. 

But this was different. It was growing harder and harder for Jaebum to keep up his imagination because his mind would drift to the singular moments that they had in reality. His mind would replay them holding hands or the blush on Youngjae’s cheeks. Youngjae did not live in the crush dream world like all the previous guys. He lived in the now. JB didn’t dream about him during the day or the cute things Youngjae would say to him. Instead he would scroll over the text messages the younger sent him. The crush morphed into a real relationship between friends. Youngjae was not a fantasy but a person in JB’s life whom he cherished. 

Since Youngjae saved JB from a nasty scratch and nursed him back to health along with a cute ramen dinner JB hasn’t been able to control himself. He couldn’t find sanctuary in his fantasy world. The dream Youngjae held no warmth and never said the right thing. JB had to go to the source. The whole situation was similar to JB’s Mom’s kimchee stew. No matter how many times Jaebum followed the recipe or how much he memorized the process and carefully picked out the same exact ingredients. The stew never tasted as good as his mother’s kimchee stew. Jaebum could memorize every aspect of Youngjae down to the fine detail but he could never make the dream version of him as good as the younger. So JB kept going back to the source similar to how he would visit his mother often for the stew. 

Every Friday, Jaebum would pick the younger up from work and treat him to a convenience store dinner because everywhere else was closed at the time. They would sit at the cheap tables and talk about anything that came to mind while the microwave whirled in the background cooking their food. Jaebum would stare at the younger as he told animated stories about his puppy Coco and shared Jacksons embarrassing secrets with a mischievous glint in his big brown eyes. They begun to have more than fleeting touches. They held hands as they confessed their fears and squeezed each other's hands in comfort as they talked about their struggles. Both gave advice and comfort to one another. 

Youngjae became a constant in JB’s busy life. They texted often when the week seemed too long until their time together. Mostly bad jokes and if JB was lucky, cute selfies of the younger and his puppy. The selfies on their own that JB received made him wish he was rich enough to open a gallery of large printed versions for the world to see the most beautiful individual Jaebum had ever met. But he selfishly decided to preserve his savings and the pictures to himself. 

Once again Youngjae and JB were sitting at their usual spot chowing down on their noodles and large soda because Youngjae can’t finish a soda himself and it would be cheaper to share. Along with the fact that JB was not able to deny himself the pleasure of the movie cliché of sharing a drink with two straws with a cute boy. 

“So hyung, how was work today?”, Youngjae still had the straw between his plump lips and Jaebum tried his hardest to keep pure thoughts. 

“It was good. Mostly working on a remix and a little on my own stuff. How was work at the little monsters?” Jaebum had noticed earlier that something was off about the younger. It was subtle but after trying to learn everything about the boy he could feel the hollowness in the boys sparkly eye. Though they have talked about their struggles and fear, something are still kept to themselves. So Jaebum knew that all he was capable for doing for the younger was getting his mind off of whatever is bothering. 

“They are not little monsters.” Youngjae protested over his steaming ramen. “Well not all of them. Mostly they can be good and if heard their voices you would be convinced you are in a room full of angels.” Youngjae’s eyes twinkled when even he spoke of the students. Jaebum has had the joy from these past couple of months finding all the things that triggered those cute eyes to crinkle into little moons and drag out that huge laugh from the youngers small body. Jaebum has concluded the best topics to touch that achieve the wanted response was anything dealing with music, dogs and an American restaurant called “Chipotle” which neither of them can pronounce correctly even with a phone call to Mark for proper translation. 

“I will have to take you up on that one day. I can tell if your words are true or not because I have had the pleasure of spending quite a bit of time with an angel before to know the feeling”, Jaebum smirked at his clever response but it soon faltered as Youngjae continued to shove the noodles into his mouth. The younger missed the obvious flirting from the older. As most dinners together, JB will throw an average of a thousand compliment and at most one will stick to the younger. Thus causing an internal battle of whether to jump across the table and kiss the blond or just suffering in silence to preserve his fragile heart. Though the second option has led to a byproduct of horrible thoughts. 

“Does he even like me? Is he just being polite and is weirded out by my flirting? Is he so use to people flirting with him? Does he already have someone he is interested in? Are they better than me?” , the whirlwind of thoughts have snuck up on to JB multiple times since meeting Youngjae. 

“JB Hyung” the youngers tone was serious and it made Jaebum go stiff. The fear that he had gone too far or the disgust that would ring through the youngers voice. Jaebum braced himself for the verbal punch in the face. 

But the next couple of words rained on him like petals of the most fragrant blossoms. 

“Thank you for your kind words. You always make me feel better. Even if I am having the worst day ever.” 

Jaebum swallowed in surprise. The lump in his throat melted in an instant when Youngjae warm smile was pointed his way.   
In that instant, Jaebum knew that he had breeched the line between a crush and love for the second time in his short life. It was not until he dropped the younger off in his apartment, received a suggestive smirk from Jackson, and ruffled Youngjae's soft hair and bid everyone goodnight that it crashed into him. His chest swelled and his hands gripped the wheel tighter. His whole body went still and rigid as if was driving off a cliff and waiting for the crash. 

It has been years since the incident. Years since he was bruised and crying in the dance practice room. Years since he was he packed up all of things and left their little dorm. Years since he begged to the higher powers for things to work out between them. 

But it had been a little longer since his heart beat this way. 

So as Jaebum started his car, he made a silent promise between him and the empty night. 

“I will not allow HIM to ruin this for me.”

Before he could stop himself he sent a message to Youngjae that sent him crashing into unknown territory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back from the dead! Sorry I have been MIA I was flying all over the USA and welcoming foreign students to the USA and setting them up at their universities. It was a lot of work but a ton of fun! A funny story was that while wearing my GOT7 Turbulence jacket, I was stopped multiple times in the airport for picture of the jacket by old ladies on holiday who thought it was cutest thing . Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Hope everyone has been doing well!


	12. Clear Waters

Jinyoung did not have a single inkling what inside him yearned to grab Youngjae’s hand and pulling him close. Jinyoung did not know how his whole being craved the youngers touch. Nor did Jinyoung have a clue why his heart ached at the fleeting idea of the younger leaving him. 

But what he did know was that this was not an instant click. He was already in so deep into Youngjae’s sweet eyes that when he turned to look back from where he came from it was pitch black. It didn’t have a starting point nor did it look like the end is near. 

When Jinyoung was younger he went to the beach with his family. He played with his older sister and built sand castles on the edge. After going to the same beach, he was familiar with the small place where his parent watched over him. But he grew bored with the restricted area and swam beyond what he had known. His feet no longer could touch the sand and seaweed tickled his legs. He floated into the unknown. Until the riptide came in and swept him away. He went tumbling into the whirling waters. Mercilessly thrown around until he grabbed hold of the pier. His body cut and bruised from the shells and sand that awaited him below. 

The lesson he learned that day would be repeated with his first love. Jinyoung would never forget the feeling of being dragged down and abused by the oceans ground. How the nothingness below him soon came crashing towards him. His first and only boyfriend showed him that the riptide is always below the calm waters. So the only way Jinyoung had learn to combat this is to always be able to see his feet on the ground. He did not allow himself to get swept away in anything. 

Until Youngjae. 

He did not notice how swept up in the younger he was until he felt the tickling of the seaweed against his legs. Unlike his first love, Youngjae was not murky water. Youngjae was similar to a crystal-clear pond. Koi fish inhabited the waters and the small water fall created the most relaxing melody. Youngjae was clear in all his emotions and Jinyoung did not have to guess with Youngjae. His teaching assistant was nothing short of god sent. As if Jinyoung’s suffering was for the greater purpose of meeting his savior. Jinyoung was not religious man, but damn did he believe in the big man upstairs whenever the younger smiled. 

Jinyoung’s life had significantly became better since the little blond man was introduced to him. Jinyoung did nothing besides work and sleep before Youngjae. The occasional call to his mother and the daily subway ride with Mark where the only adult interactions he had. 

But now he is dressing up a bit nicer, smiling more, and overall enjoy the company of someone other than his students. Jinyoung has always found himself to be a private person. One gets that way after their business was once plastered all over tabloids. 

When he was younger, he had a script full of all the answers to all the questions anyone could ask. He was prepared and to this day he still prepares himself for every adult interaction he could possible experience. When he goes to the doctors when he is sick he writes down everything he needs to say. Parent- Teacher meetings are filed and color coded. Even his phone calls with the electric company have 10 to 20 minutes prep time. 

Jinyoung had everything planned out. Everything was safe and in his control.   
That’s why he liked Youngjae. Youngjae was safe and simple to understand. Youngjae was a familiar book and a clear pond. Jinyoung had no guessing games and no breaching of his privacy. They both had things sealed off from one another. But the hidden things did not create distrust or animosity between the two men. The bridge between them is the understanding that what they hid is not because of distrust but self-preservation. 

Of course, Jinyoung was curious about the younger but he did not feel that delving into his past was what made them closer. The mutual respect of privacy was a huge weight off the teacher.   
They did not require each other presence to survive but when they were together they were thriving. All things they did together were so much better. For the first time Jinyoung did not prefer to be alone in comparison to being with Youngjae. 

Youngjae was an amplifier to Jinyoung’s passion. He felt like his lessons came out better and learned so much from the younger. He was so inspired that he started to write songs again. He even asked for his mother to mail him his old song book. 

Unbeknowest to Jinyoung, you can still drown in a crystal-clear pond. 

Jinyoung did not know how deep he was until he lost his breath when Mark called Jinyoung in the middle of the night. 

Jinyoung was in a grumpy mood due to Youngjae being busy with his finals. It still amazed him that it had almost been over a semester since they met. The Christmas concert was coming up and Jinyoung was swamped with preparations and it grew harder because of Youngjae’s absence. 

Youngjae kept up with all of the paper work and manual labor that Jinyoung needed done. Jinyoung tried to take on half to lighten the youngers load but Youngjae stubbornness beat out Jinyoung’s investment into the argument. It was going to get done one way or the other so why argue. 

Jinyoung answered the phone on the second ring. 

“Is everything okay?”, Jinyoung 

“Hey man, sorry to call so late but I need a favor.” Mark’s voice was strained and a little out of breath. 

“What type of favor?” Jinyoung quirked his eyebrow. 

“The picking up of a ball of sunshine from the library.” Mark said quickly before groaning into the phone followed by a couple grunts in the background. 

“Umm Mark, which library is Youngjae at?” Jinyoung eyes grew into suspicious slits. 

“The one that looks like hotel. We passed it when we took the kids on that field trip to see that one play. Its not that far from you. Its about a twenty min-AH! FUCK! JACKSON REALLY?!” 

Jinyoung took a deep breath and held it tightly. 

“Mark Tuan are you having sex while you are on the phone with me?”, Jinyoung’s voice was calm but held a sting at the end. 

“NO!” Mark’s voice was incredulous. 

Before Jinyoung could reply, Mark began to rapidly explain. “Jackson came home sick from work today. Well more like, dragged home by his coworker with a 101°F fever. He has been trying to escape whenever he isn’t throwing up or sleeping. So I am currently laying on top of him after struggling with him for the past hour. Since he heard me ask you to get our Lil Otter he tried to make a run for it again!” 

“Okay, well I am going to get Youngjae now, goodbye.” Jinyoung quickly hung up the phone not wanting to further be in the awkward situation and went to retrieve his coat and keys. Though he was not going to let this slide and tease Mark later on. 

As Jinyoung begun to walk down the stairs to lobby of his building his chest grew giddy at the thought of going to see Youngjae after almost two weeks of limited contact. The had communicated sparingly through text and all the paperwork was either emailed or dropped off in his office with a cute sticky note. He has each sticky note saved in the front of his planner. His favorite is the small doodle Youngjae made of himself with otter features. 

Jinyoung let himself get lost in thought as he made his way to the library. The weather was a bit chilly but with his cozy jumper. Maybe he can get hot cocoa with the younger as he brings him back home. The thought of the younger getting whipped cream on his nose was enough incentive. 

Too caught up in his daydream the walk was shorter then Jinyoung realized almost tripping over the steps that led to the large door of the library. At this point it was empty and most lights where off. The occasional staff member that gave him a weird look. It was probably the first time the staff saw a guy with a goofy grin enter the library during the most difficult part of the semester.   
Mark had sent Jinyoung a description of the younger’s favorite study spot but Jinyoung already knew where to go because Youngjae once sent him a cute selfie of himself studying in a little corner desk with a large window with foliage around him. In the picture, the sun was glowing behind him and making Youngjae look like a literally angel. So, when he arrived and saw the state the younger was in. Jinyoung’s heart clenched at the dull color the younger’s face and how he had book piled around him. Youngjae looked so small and it took everything in Jinyoung not to go and coddle him.   
So Jinyoung slowly approached the student who had his eyes glazed over, scanning over the laptop screen.   
Youngjae’s shoulders were slumped and his bottom was uncomfortable from the library chair. Despite the expensive tuition he pays to go to university, the least they could do was pay for nicer seats. 

Youngjae sighed and scanned over the same sentence for the millionth time because it didn’t sound right before he let his head rest on his palm and hummed along to the music that was playing low in the one earbud. 

Jinyoung sat next to the younger and placed a warm hand on the younger which startled the sleep deprived otter as he jumped at the foreign feeling. Jinyoung tried to prevent himself from laughing and raised his hand to cover his mouth in attempt to muffle his chuckles. 

Youngjae blinked a couple times before his eyes turned into thin half-moons. 

“Hyung?!” Youngjae ignored the library etiquette and spoke at normal level. His voice was ruff from lack speaking for a long period of time. 

“Hello Youngjae. How is your paper going?” Jinyoung eyes were framed with little whiskers that Youngjae’s heart could not resist. I took the younger a moment to compose himself and his heart plummeted when giving the honest answer. 

“No so well. My professor did not return the draft until today and it is due in the morning at 8:00AM and my paper still looks like a massacre with all of the red marks he put on it and most of the edits I do not understand. I have been here ever since I got off work and I am barely getting through this paper.” As the younger continued his rant he started to sound more hopeless and drained. It honestly broke Jinyoung’s heart to hear his sunshine sound so broken. It soon became apparent to Jinyoung the extent that Youngjae had spread himself so thin. Just counting today Youngjae has been spent half his day as a student, then as an employee and still found time to do so much for Jinyoung and students along with preparing for his finals and a variety of other activities the older was blissfully unaware of. All of this was painted on the youngers face with his bright eyes dimmer than usual, his fluffy hair flat, and his body language more closed off than usual. Jinyoung wanted nothing more to pull Youngjae into a warm bed and hold him close to protect him from the cruel world. But he couldn’t. Not here and not now with too much of a risk. So, he compromised and helped the younger in the only way he could. 

“How about you email me half of the paper and I edit and you do the other half. It will be done quicker. Then we can get you to bed hopefully before 3:00AM.” 

Youngjae’s eyes grew wide. “No Hyung! You shouldn’t help me like this. I can do it. I will be fin-“  
Before Youngjae could finish his sentence, Jinyoung picked up the younger’s laptop. 

“I promised to help you if you needed it. I am sad that you waited this long and struggled on your own. I do not want you to suffer alone. Be it mentally or physically, I want to do the best I can to support you. Now where have you not finished editing so I can email this to myself.”

Youngjae couldn’t resist the stern confession. Too exhausted to argue he complied to the elder’s request and they set to work next to each other. Working and discussing the paper and topic. The topic Youngjae picked out for his research paper turned out to be based on a previous coffee date conversation between the two earlier in their friendship It was one of their favorite historical text in China called the Book of Odes and how the music was lost over time and other historical excavations in the time period and how it was reflected in modern day Korean society. Before they knew it they were working on the conclusion.

Well Jinyoung was working on the final edits of the conclusion and reading over their edits. Youngjae had fallen asleep on the elder’s shoulder. Jinyoung saved the final draft and sent a copy to the printer. He placed Youngjae’s head onto the desk as he quietly picked up the younger’s materials and placed it neatly in the worn-down backpack. As the hum of the printer across the room spit out the many pages that the two slaved over. 

Though this was not the first time Jinyoung took a really good look at the younger it did not make the swelling of his chest throb any less. The pinkness of his lips and his dark lashes though they were not long enough to brush his cheeks the softness of the youngers features clutched the teachers heart. The fine line between fondness and tender romantic feelings. Jinyoung was well aware of his feelings for the younger. He didn’t play in am imaginary world of “what if” but the reality of “what is proper” and “what was the best outcome” but with Youngjae asleep right now and well unaware in a public building that was vacant of any life beside the two and the librarians who have long since avoided the two to find refugee of the long hours ahead in the computer screen. But the fear had frozen the teacher’s hand as he began to reach for the youngers cheeks. He felt his blood run cold as he inches closer to the heat of the soft cheek offered warmth. He wanted to touch the younger he really did. But it was as if the ghost of who he was all those years ago was grasping onto his wrist and whispering the faint phrase “The last time you gave in you lost it all.” 

The fear of the younger corroding as his cursed hands touch the pure plains of Youngjae’s face ate at Jinyoung. He pulled against the forces and was almost there. But before he could make the final centimeter of a push the bright brown eyes fluttered opened at him and stared right into his eyes. At first they where half lidded but then grew wide. On Youngjae’s way up to a proper sitting position Jinyoung’s finger tips grazed the soft skin of Youngjae’s cheek. Though the younger made not mention of this as he begun to spew out a stream of apologies to the older but Jinyoung’s mind was clouded by the brief skin ship. It was not until the younger promoted him with an ever so wary “Jinyoung Hyung” that with the same grace and poise that Youngjae had when he woke up the older blurted out.   
“Would you like to come home with me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it has been a while. I hope this chapter is a warm welcome. I really wanted this chapter to give better insight into Jinyoung and maybe some clues about his past. I love how some of you are already starting up theories. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. I am sorry it took so long to update. Thank you for all your kudos and comments they really encourage me. I will try to update more often. I have big plans for this story. Thank you!


	13. I just need a Que

Oh, had JB tried. He tried so hard. The poor guy was going to go bald from how many times he had grabbed at his black locks and rolled around his futon. Every time his phone sung the cute little tune of a text message arriving his emotions would run all over the place. Despite being a song writer for many years, Jaebum’s understanding of the power that words held did not prepare him for the younger coming into his life and turning it upside down with a stream of emojis. It drove him insane. Despite all his effort the young otter could not understand his romantic advances.   
Now Jaebum believes he has clearly stated his intentions towards the younger except run over and kiss the younger on the lips. Not that he hadn’t thought of it, but his new album is in the works and he would prefer to not be behind bars for sexual assault. 

So, he was calling in the big guns. 

“Jaebummie hyung!” 

Jaebum swiveled his chair to face the entrance of his studio to be greeted by a bundle of jackets and scarves piled onto the younger. 

If anyone knew Youngjae inside and out it was Jackson. 

“Hello Jackson, I am glad you shown up in- “JB glanced at his watch and continued “less than three minutes after I texted you”

“OFCOURSE!” Jackson jumped into the other studio swivel chair and scooted his way over to Jaebum. “How I could not help my favorite Hyung out with a with his love problem” 

“Could you please keep your voice down” Jaebum head fell into his hands as he couldn’t bear the greasy grin from the younger. 

“I’m just saying that this is adorable and as the certified love doctor I am happy to help and be your cupid” Jackson scooted uncomfortably close to the older and shot an imaginary bow and arrow that was accompanied by a “pew” sound from your truly. 

“I need you more so as a Youngjae expert than a love guru” Jaebum quipped back. 

“Ahh I would consider Mark more of the Youngjae expert since he knew him longer and they lived together longer too since Youngjae escap- move to Marks house in the USA for a while” though 

Jackson suspiciously tripped over his words he was back to the grove of conversation with Jaebum and changed the subject before the other could ask any questions. “But I could answer the majority of things you ask, so ask away lover boy, even the kinky stuff~”

Jaebum went bright red at the point and pushed Jackson away from him and sent Jackson roller chair to the other side of the studio desk. “THAT’S NOT WHAT I WAS INTENDING TO ASK!”

Jackson rolled his eyes at the shyness of his friend. “Then what could possibly be the issue then. Youngjae is already starry eyed for you, so what’s the issue.” 

Jaebum’s heart leaped at the notion that the otter had feelings towards him, but the aching realization hit him and in a somber voice he confided in to Jackson. 

“But I am afraid he only sees me as an older brother figure and a close friend. Every time I try to take us on a date, I feel that he doesn’t get the fact that I am trying to pursue a romantic relationship with him.” 

“Man, I KNOW!” Jackson sighed loudly. “The poor kid is so slow. Love him to death but he isn’t good at reading his own feelings much less others.” 

“I feel like he has given me tons of signs that he is into me, but I just need a cue from him to know that what I think we have is real and we both mutually are interested.” Jaebum rocked himself back in his chair. “I have honestly tried everything. My theory is split between two possibilities.” 

“Which are???” Jackson quirked his eyebrow at the love-sick fool next to him. 

“You and Mark have spoiled him with so much affection and love that he cannot tell the different between friendship and romantic relationships or he is simply not into me.” 

Jackson busted out laughing and was met with a scowl from the older. “You know Markie and I have discussed that if Youngjae doesn’t find Mr. Right we were just going to have him join our relationship and be a cute little trio. “ 

Jaebum glare grew fiercer. “How would it be any different from how you two treat him now?”

Jackson leaned closer and enticed Jaebum to meet him halfway with the temptation of a secret sealed behind the youngers lips. 

“I’d finally get to dominate that cute little ass of his.” 

Jaebum pulled back from Jackson with a scandalous expression which only led to Jackson to laugh even harder. 

“Not like you haven’t thought the same thing!” 

Jaebum ears burned in embarrassment and shame to know that this man is his closest friend. 

“I do not want your help anymore”, Jaebum mumbled through his pout. 

“Come on man~” Jackson voiced dragged in a whiney manner that Jaebum was all too familiar with. “I am still routing for you! I think that you and my sweet ass otter would be the power couple of the century. After Mark and me of course.”

“Are you going to help me or not?” Jaebum was growing tired of this banter. 

“Tell me what you have done so far besides the text messages.” Jackson face turned serious. The game that has been going on between Mark and him has been so back and forth. Neither could honestly tell who was winning. For the first time in a long time, Youngjae’s actions had became unpredictable. If Jackson can use this to get this situation figured out, he can win. Jaebum was the best option and the first person he would ever feel okay leaving the little otter in the care of. 

“Well we have gone on date but they all seem to just blur into the same hang out session we had earlier in our friendship. I tried to make them stand out but-  
Jaebum then delved into the story of their most recent “date”; 

JB was shuffling his feet back to his futon in the studio. He is holding two steaming bowls of noodles and in his mouth, is two prepackaged disposable chopsticks. On the other side of his futon swaddled up in an oversized pink hoodie was the one who has been filling up the small hollowness that is in his chest. The weather outside was rainy but the younger was illuminated by the greyish blue that filtered in through the large window. Youngjae was tapping his cute foot to the rhythm of the song he was humming. 

The youngers nose scrunched up cutely as he smelt the ramen and looked up and gave a cute eye smile to the older. 

“Thank you hyung!” 

“It’s no problem” JB attempted to reply smoothly as he placed Youngjae’s noodles on the end table. He took a quick glance at the youngers screen which had half of the screen a mix of characters that seemed to form into an essay and the other half a YouTube video of some girl group dancing cutely. 

The dirtier side of his mind thought for a good hot second about Youngjae in the cute short skirts dancing around but was quickly extinguished by his saner side of the brain.

Originally when Jaebum sent the text he was intending for this to be a date. It was the first time the two were hanging out outside of their weekly dinner dates. To Jaebum this was a big step, but he wasn’t sure if the sediment was equal on both sides. Now before you think how unromantic JB was to have the “date” at his office please understand that Jaebum has the world’s worst luck. He originally planned to take the younger and his puppy to the Han River for a picnic. Jaebum was going to spoil the younger with his two favorite things, food and dogs. 

This was his third try for an official “date” with the younger. This time led them back to JB’s studio because he forgot his wallet and phone only to be met again with pouring rain. Youngjae offered for them to just hang out in JB’s studio and enjoy each other’s company. 

So Jaebum sat and watched the younger try to consume noodles that where too hot for him but swallowing down the pain with the copious amounts of noodles that puffed up the youngers cheeks. Jaebum couldn’t respite snapping a cute photo to add to his “not creepy but kinda creepy collection of photos of Youngjae” 

“Hyung~ stop taking photos of me!” the younger groaned as he crawled over the length of the futon to grab at JB’s phone. 

“But you have the funniest of faces! How could I resist” JB raised his arm up to secure his phone from the grabby hands. 

“You are just as bad as Jackson! Do you guys just trade photos of me?!” 

“N- NO we do not do that!” Jaebum sputtered out. 

How could he admit to the younger that more than once Jackson and Jaebum spent too much time at work flipping through saved pictures of the younger and sometimes the otter face swaps that almost made Jackson pee himself from laughter. 

As Youngjae was grabbing for the phone he gave up and collapsed in the elder’s lap with a groan. This made Jaebum blush intensify tenfold.   
Youngjae turned his head to look up at Jaebum from what would seem to be an unflattering angle but with the elder’s tight jaw line it was still attractive. Jaebum looked down at the younger and returned an ugly expression to the wide eye cutie in his lap. 

This in turn made Youngjae burst in to his iconic fit of laughter that shook his whole body and made him sit up a little too quickly which resulted in the two bashing their foreheads together. 

“OUCHIE!!!!” Youngjae whined grasping his forehead and rubbing it. 

Jaebum groaned cradling his own throbbing forehead. 

“Are you okay Youngjae? I’m so sorry” 

“I’ll be okay Hyung I’m not made of glass. But a kiss will always make it better”, he threw it out so casually that Jaebum couldn’t tell if he was being his cheeky self or was intentionally flirting. “Here I will go first” Youngjae didn’t even let the older process the information before placing a light kiss on his forehead. 

Blinking a couple times to meet the youngers brown eyes that slowly grew into crescent moons. Jaebum couldn’t remember to breathe until the younger hummed impatiently. Which Jaebum responds with the same chaste kiss to the forehead but his whole body was vibrating. Jaebum’s heart was swelling at the sight before him as he slowly inched away. The pure joy the younger had on his face had Jaebum falling all over again. 

“Come on hyung, your ramen is going to get cold.” Youngjae shied away from Jaebum’s intense gaze and returned to his noodles. All of his courage seemed to dissipate in the air. 

When Jaebum finished his variety of situations that all ended the same pattern of reaching that one moment and the courage slowly dying in the elder’s chest from the casual tone of the holder of his affection. 

“Whenever he gets closer to me, I feel him pull away. It feels like he is grabbing me close and then letting me go. I know that he is sending me mixed signals. I never had any expectations in the beginning because I know he isn’t easy. I get excited every day. He makes my heart flutter at the end of every sentence he says. I see him, I see him, and I see him everywhere! How does he make me get so worried and how does he keep making it worse? Now I just need a signal, all I need is one sentence from him. Its urgent and I want to have him now. No more games. I just want a cue." 

Jackson nodded solemnly. If he respected Jaebum before he respected him ten times more now. He could feel the ache his friend’s heart felt. Jaebum had really fallen for Jackson otter. Jaebum was getting choked up as he expressed his fears to Jackson. The fear of rejection his heart has been avoiding for so many years. He was so much older now but he still felt like he was back in that trainee room falling for “Him” all over again. Compared to then he knows how to untangle some of the mesh of feelings that his younger self couldn’t but there was still so many knots inside him that he couldn’t figure out. 

After about an hour or so, Jackson finally spoke.

“Let’s go get a bottle of soju or maybe some beer. A little fresh air will do you good and it will give me time to think how to help you out. Okay?” 

“Hopefully you are not tricking me into going to Youngjae’s work again and get smashed and embarrass myself again as I drunkenly confess my feelings to the poor terrified kid and I puke on his shoes.“, the older mumbled in a defeated tone

“I won’t say that didn’t cross my mind, but we can honestly go to that plan and save some time. I am trying to think of something less embarrassing. Now get your wallet, we are going to the convenience store.“ Jackson got up from his chair and stretched his back waiting on the older. 

“Why am I paying?” Jaebum said incredulously as he reached for his wallet and studio office key. 

“Because I do not give love advice for free.” Jackson answered plainly. “or sober.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you couldn't tell, Q is one of my favorite songs. Also I am a sucker for the frat boy bromance between Jackson and Jaebum. 
> 
> I have been gone forever huh? I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I changed my mind a couples since the last chapter about how I wanted things to go. I have a plan for this series I promise. I just need to set the stage a bit more. I really like writing this story and I hope people are enjoying it despite the long pauses. Please comment because it really motivates me to write more. I would love to also discuss the story with you guys so don't feel shy writing anything you are curious about or really like about this chapter/story or just if you giggled at any of my references. Also Jinyoung and Jaebum will be meeting soon so please be patient! Thank you again for all the love and support! I promise to update more. If I do not update in what seems to be forever you are more than welcome to bother me about it in the comments! I need the kick in the butt some times because I get shy and not want to post the chapter.
> 
> <3 泰荷

**Author's Note:**

> I have the biggest soft spot for Got7. Especially Youngjae. Congrats on owning this Era my sunshine. Honestly, I laughed a lot while writing this, so I hope you have enjoyed.


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